The law given by God was never intended to make a person righteous. It can’t. 

 Nor was it intended to be some form or method in which we could earn ‘spiritual merit badges’ to impress God. 

 Paul makes it quite clear that ‘by the deeds of the law, (or obeying the law) no flesh will be justified in His sight...” (Rom. 3:20) 

 God is no more impressed by us obeying His laws than any local traffic cop would be impressed that we obey the traffic laws every time we get in a car and drive. 

 For one to think they are more special than others and more pleasing to God because they obey laws would be delusional. That was not the purpose or the intent of the law. 

 I’ve mentioned in the past that when I drive in to Dallas weekly, I am never met at the city limits by the mayor and police chief and rewarded a medal of recognition because I obeyed the traffic laws on my way in. 

 Let me ask you, if the law was so flawed and imperfect and irrelevant to us today, then why would God have made it a point to stress how He was actually going to ‘put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be My people.” (Heb. 8:10; 10:16; Jer. 31:33) ? 

 And yet, something that is lost on so many people in the church today is the fact that the law was not some bad idea that God had and that He regretted instituting it 430 years after He established a covenant with Abraham. (Gal. 3:17). Jesus Himself made it clear that He did not come to abolish or do away with the law either. (Matt. 5:17). In fact, as you read on there, He said He came to fulfill it. So with that thought in mind, what are the implications here when we read later in John’s first epistle that whoever ‘abides in Him ought themselves to walk just like Jesus walked’? (1 John 2:6) 

 Where I believe there has been a huge ‘disconnect’ for so many NT believers today, and would submit to you for your consideration and further study, is this false premise that just because someone make a sincere, verbal commitment or profession of faith in Christ that they are somehow exempt from obeying the laws or immune from the consequences of not obeying the law. Sort of like the bratty 16 year old who thinks he can get away with doing as he pleases because his dad is the local judge. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

 Let’s not forget how Jesus uttered that chilling warning informing us that “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven,” (Matt. 7:21). And what would He tell us later in John 14:15: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” This came on the heels of Him sharing this ‘new commandment’ that was more of a clarification of the ‘second great commandment – ( love others as ourselves-Matt. 22:39) and He said that we are to “love one another as He loved us.” In fact, this would be the earmark, the proof, or ‘fruit’ that we were indeed a true follower of Him. (John 13:34-35) 

 Did you catch that? Loving others...”AS HE loved us” would he the evidence of our faith. Not ‘casting out devils or prophesying or doing great works in His name’. (Matt. 7:22). Nor would it be ‘speaking in tongues, understanding all knowledge, having faith to move mountains, giving away all your wealth to feed the poor, or giving your body to be burned’ be proof of your faith. (1 Cor. 13:1-3) 

 It would be demonstrating the nature and character of God, in whose image we were first created. We would have to have God’s character and nature within us in order to accomplish demonstrating this kind of love that is explained so well there in 1 Cor. 13:4-7. I mean, really , how else could we possibly love others as Christ loved us...unless we had His nature residing or abiding in us? And while we certainly find it easy to say or tell others...”Jesus lives in me” or ‘His Spirit is in my heart”, it will be evident to ‘all men’ as to whether that is true or not. 

 Paul spoke of a day when “many would profess to know God but by their actions/fruit they would deny Him, being abominable and disobedient”. (Tit. 1:16). That ties back in to the teachings of Jesus where we would be known by our fruit. (Matt. 7:16-20). You just can’t get around this fruit deal because it matters enough to God that He lets it be known what happens when there is no good fruit. (Isa. 5:1-7; Matt. 3:10; 7:19; Luke 13:6-9). It is that serious. 

 You know, think about this for a moment. IF all of God’s laws are summed up in the two great commandments, Love Him with all our hearts and love others as Christ loved us, would this not be a perfect world and a delight to live in if everyone kept those? 

 Guess what? That was God’s original plan and design for this world. But sin, and doing what we wanted to do marred all that. Sin separated us from Him and we no longer bore His image, character, and likeness. We took on the ‘image of Satan’ or ‘the beast’. This fallen nature was passed down to all of humanity. (Rom. 5:12). Hence, the reason we needed to be ‘born again’. 

 So when we read there in Romans 7 where Paul admits of this waring conflict within him...agreeing with the idea that God’s law is good and holy, but also aware he is incapable of obeying it, he laments asking...who will deliver him from this body of death given how wretched he is’. (Rom. 7:22-24). That’s where too many people miss it...and stop reading, assuming Paul continued to live in sin because of his fallen nature. But if you read on, he answers his own desperate question and says it is through Jesus Christ that he can be delivered and set free in order to fulfill this law. (25). He then launches off in to the 8th chapter of Romans and explains how...and it is through Christ and abiding in Christ that this can be made possible. In fact, look at vs. 4 there where it says those who actually live not according to the old sinful flesh nature, but walk in the Spirit actually have all the righteous requirements of the law fully met in them. 

 And what does abiding in Christ or coming to Jesus entail? Well, for starters, He needs to deal with our problem which is our fallen sinful nature, our carnal mindset that is hostile to God and will not be subject to God’s law. (Rom. 8:7-8). We have to ‘decrease so He can increase’. (John 3:30). Which is why He begins to lead us to put to death...ALL the deeds of the sinful flesh nature. (Rom. 8:13). That is what this walk of faith and salvation and taking up our own cross is all about. And God will cause ‘all things to work together for the good of those who love Him so we can be conformed to the image and likeness of Jesus, the firstborn of many brethren. (Rom. 8:28-29) 

 So...what purpose or function does the law serve? Here again is where many of us were ignorant and failed to see for a host of reasons. Remember now, the law was laid down because of sin. (Gal. 3:19). God was always reminding His people...if you want things to go well for you, do what I say...obey my commands, keep my laws. But He also warned them that if they failed to obey, they could expect to see and experience His wrath. And that is the sole purpose of the law...as it ‘brings wrath’. (Rom. 4:15). The law brings a curse. (Gal. 3:10). The law brings condemnation and death.(2 Cor. 3:7,9) 

 And what is ‘sin’? Sin is the breaking of God’s laws/commandments. Sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4). Why do you think Jesus told that man He healed to ‘go and sin no more or something worse will happen to you?” (John 5:14). Many people today are mistaken in believing that the ‘curses for disobedience’ were done away with? I mean, read through Deut. 28 where all the curses and judgements that result in breaking God’s laws are laid out there. IF those were ‘done away with’, can you explain why so many people today are suffering from them? 

 Now going back to the basic understanding of our man made laws and traffic laws...remember, following them don’t make you righteous. And in theory, man-made laws are for the purpose of trying to protect society. Should you fail to adhere to those laws designed to keep us safe and living in harmony...then there are consequences to be faced. That is what the purpose of the law is for...to deal with those who feel no need or compelling to obey them. 

 Same with God’s law. You don’t want to follow Jesus and have a new nature formed within you so you can walk and love like Jesus walked which is...the ‘fulfilling of the law’? Well, that is your choice. But God is clear...the wages of sin is death and the soul that sins will die. Those who continue to live for the flesh will surely die. (Rom. 8:13). 

 Let’s finish up reading the passage there in 1 Timothy 1:8-10 where Paul again affirms how good the law is if used lawfully. He states that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious and ungodly and sinners and the unholy....etc. You might read the rest of that if you have a moment. Those folks will reap what they sow. (Gal. 6:7-8; Eph. 5:6). Paul writes there that we better not be deceived and know for a fact that God’s wrath comes on those who sin. People who abide in Jesus...don’t continue to sin. (1 John 3:6,9). 

 And just to remind you and maybe encourage you...when people sin against you or wrong you, you need not take matters into your own hands. God has this. We are instructed to ‘make room for God’s wrath’. (Rom. 12:17-21). Would you like to guess who He uses to do that...to carry out His wrath? He uses the enemy...the powers of darkness. (Ps. 78:49-50). That is why we are told to ‘give no place’ to them. (Eph. 4:27). But you need not worry them if your heart is set on following Jesus and walking in His Spirit. Those who do...are not subject to the law. (Gal. 5:18). Those who do, no longer walk and fulfill the lust of the sinful flesh nature. (Gal. 5:16) 

 Which is why there was no conflict here with faith and the law, according to Paul. Those who live by faith, as in follow Jesus...are upholding the law...as in fulfilling it...just like those Gentile believers did in Romans 2:13-14.   Have a good day. :- )