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"The Law was given not to make people righteous but in fact to forever shut men’s mouths regarding any attempt at self justification before God. The Law reveals sin, and knowing the holiness and righteousness of God, it shows us our desperate condition before Him."

This is why I've always considered the Sermon on the Mount the ultimate expression of the Law. One cannot hear it without instantly realizing two things:

1. This is undoubtedly the perfect expression of true righteousness, justice and divine goodness. This is truth - the universal normative - what God expects of me; and

2. I have never gone even a single day in my life where I came close to living up to this.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

This is why I've always considered the Sermon on the Mount the ultimate expression of the Law. One cannot hear it without instantly realizing two things:

1. This is undoubtedly the perfect expression of true righteousness, justice and divine goodness. This is truth - the universal normative - what God expects of me; and

2. I have never gone even a single day in my life where I came close to living up to this.

AMEN!

One of our sons had to read Matthew for an English class in high school (no doubt to impress upon young minds it was all literary fiction.) Later he told me that it was after he had read the Sermon on the Mount that he finally understood Christianity and the fact that he could never be a perfect Christian. Thus the need for a perfect Savior. Just like you said so well.