We have seen in this short study of Romans that freedom from the old law was essential for salvation.  Paul knew that some would conclude that he was teaching that the law was sinful, but such was not the case at all.  Yes, the law was insufficient in providing salvation, but this was more about those under the law than it was the law itself.  Notice how the Hebrews writer addressed this.

Hebrews 8:7-8 (ESV)
⁷  For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. ⁸  For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,

The only fault of the first covenant (the law of Moses) was that it did not make provision for sin.  However, as indicated by the writer of Hebrews, the real fault was with “them,” referring to the Jews who were under the law, because they were sinners.  If they were not sinners, they would not need the law to save them.  The truth is the only issue with the old law was that its standard was too high.  It demanded perfection, something that flawed mankind could not deliver.

The law was good.  It did exactly what God wanted it to do—lead man to Christ.

Galatians 3:21-24 (NKJV)
²¹  Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. ²²  But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. ²³  But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. ²⁴  Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

The only reason the Jews had to be released from the law was that they were violators of it.  The law is not the culprit when it comes to the loss of salvation.  Sin is the villain, not the law.  Paul expounds upon this in Romans seven.

Romans 7:7 (ESV)
⁷  What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

Far from being sinful, the law was a blessing that revealed man’s sinfulness to him.  Without knowing that we are sinners, we would just continue in sin and be in a state of damnation and separation from God.  Even though man could not be justified by the law (Galatians 3:11), he should be thankful for its revelations.  Next, Paul points out who (or what) is really responsible for the condemnation of mankind.

Romans 7:8-13 (ESV)
⁸  But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. ⁹  I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. ¹⁰  The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. ¹¹  For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. ¹²  So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. ¹³  Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

So, the law is not sinful, and that has never been Paul’s point.  Paul’s only point about the law and the reason we have to be set free from it, is that it does not make provision for sin.  Since we are weak and sin from time to time, being under that kind of law leads to frustration, death, and, ultimately, condemnation.  Paul will illustrate this further in the next section.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things