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.

— Romans 7:7

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.

— Galatians 3:19

And when He [The Spirit] comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.

— John 16:8

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.

— John 14:26

We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

— 1 Corinthians 2:12

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

The correct application of the Law goes hand in hand with the work of the Holy Spirit, since He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. Conviction is the Spirit’s job. Our job is to share the truth when we lovingly show someone that God‘s Sprit brings it home to their hearts, and to awake their dormant spirits. He produces the sorrow and repentance in sinners. When the Law and Spirit work together hand-in-hand, hearts are softened, and the gospel becomes irresistible to Christ’s grace with a vital truth.

The goal of using the Law is not to crush people but to guide them to cross and the Savior. Therefore the Law was given to lead us to Christ so that we might be justified by faith just like a tutor brings a student to the point of understanding that they cannot earn salvation, and then the grace shines brightly. The Law shuts every mouth, stops every excuse and weighs down every heart in order to point us to Jesus, the only one who fulfilled the Law perfectly and offered us His righteousness.