Conditions no human being is ever capable of meeting, thus disqualifying all human beings from attaining salvation through those works making them then completely dependent on God's grace and mercy.
The Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ.
Galatians 3:21-29 21Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
There are other versions that translate it that the Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ.
This link takes you to parallel translations.
The Law was to show us what God's standards are so that we can see that we can't do it ourselves and we can see our need for HIS righteousness and that we can come to Him and ask for His mercy through faith.
NOBODY can live the Beatitudes. Even if you were perfect from here on in, it's already too late as one sin is all it takes to condemn you and make you guilty of the entire Law.
Good works cannot make up for all the sin we have committed. There is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood, so we can't earn forgiveness by works, or penance, or paying it off in purgatory. Those will not get sin forgiven.
If it were not for reading the ten commandments...and the clincher was the following verse.... “any who sin in the least of these commandments is guilty of them all.”....I would surely have believed on a scale of one to ten I was doing pretty good. But of course there is the clincher...I knew at that point I was past any hope of meeting those “conditions”.
Well said.
Failure to understand the difference between the Law and the Gospel always leads to works righteousness/legalism. Makes no difference if it’s the stereotypical Baptist railing against the evils of movies and cards or Catholics thinking their “good works” (known Biblically as filthy rags) will save them.
Only the Gospel can save.
I realize that no man is capable; that is why we beg God for repentence each time we fail, ask for more of His Grace and continue on the Via of Christ (as Paul alludes to). Either you strive, with the Grace of God, to imitate Christ or else you do not.
The Law was to show us what God's standards are so that we can see that we can't do it ourselves and we can see our need for HIS righteousness and that we can come to Him and ask for His mercy through faith.
If you do not follow Christ's commands, you do not follow Christ. You brought up the example of the rich young man some time ago. A good example.
Good works cannot make up for all the sin we have committed. There is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood, so we can't earn forgiveness by works, or penance, or paying it off in purgatory. Those will not get sin forgiven.
There is also no forgiveness of sins without repentence and the sincere desire to "go and sin no more". Without that, desire, salvation is lost. The harlot was forgiven of her sins, but only if she follow the command of Jesus.
NOBODY can live the Beatitudes. Even if you were perfect from here on in, it's already too late as one sin is all it takes to condemn you and make you guilty of the entire Law.
Then you must repent of it after your sin of commission or omission. Else, it is your baggage that you haul with you before Him in your Judgement.