问题15：既然没有人能够遵行，那么律法的目的是什么？
答：使我们认识神的圣洁本性和旨意，以及我们内心的罪性和悖逆；并意识到我们需要一位救主。律法还教导并劝勉我们活出与我们救主相称的生活。
儿童版：使我们认识神的圣洁本性，以及我们内心的罪性，并意识到我们需要一位救主。

Question 15: Since No One Can Keep the Law, What Is Its Purpose?
Answer: That we may know the holy nature and will of God, and the sinful nature and disobedience of our hearts; and thus our need of a Savior. The law also teaches and exhorts us to live a life worthy of our Savior.
For Kids: That we may know the holy nature of God, and the sinful nature of our hearts; and thus our need of a Savior.


歌谱 Lead Sheet

经文

《罗马书》3 章20 节：

所以凡有血气的，没有一个因行律法能在神面前称义，因为律法本是叫人知罪。

注解

查尔斯·西缅

　　这些可怜的人以为可以单讲福音而不提律法。但我说，他们必须传讲律法，除非他们不传福音。加入了律法，过犯就会显多：正因为如此，你们要在不敬虔的会众当中宣讲律法；像喇叭一样抬高你的嗓门，告诉人们他们的过犯，借着传扬神伟大救恩中无尽的财宝和丰富，你就愈加荣耀了你尊贵的主。向那些相信因着救恩，律法已经被成全、被废弃，不再有效的人传讲律法；将他们指向名为「以马内利」的那一位，就像主耶稣自己用滴血的手握着律法，告诉他们说：「你们若爱我，就必遵守我的命令。」（约14:15）

默想

里根·邓肯

　　神的律法帮助我们认识神、认识自己、认识自己的需求，以及平安蒙福的生命样式。律法帮助我们认识神，因为律法清楚地显明了神的性情和属性，揭示了祂圣洁的旨意和祂是怎样的神。

　　保罗在《罗马书》1 章告诉我们，每个人都能分辨善恶，但律法向我们非常具体地显明了神的性情和祂自己的道德标准。道德标准不是专横武断的。神并非不讲理地让我们遵守祂的标准，祂给我们的要求也是祂自己将会做的。所有的道德都根源于神的性情。研读律法使我们看见神各种性情的彰显。神的律法也显出我们是怎样的人。我们的本性就是罪人，我们有悖逆、犯罪的倾向。比如耶稣与富有的少年人谈话，耶稣对他说：「去变卖你所有的，分给穷人」（太19:21），那少年人说，「我做不到」，就忧忧愁愁地走了。这段话是在讲什么？耶稣要所有人变卖一切吗？不。但这个例子，耶稣借着神的律法显明了这个人特定的罪。第一诫是什么？神说，除我以外，不可有别神。道成肉身的神，对这富有的少年人说，「你到底要什么？你的钱财，还是我，你的神？」富有的少年人看待钱财超过了神。所以在此，耶稣用第一条诫命来显明这个人的罪。

　　这也引到律法的第三功用：律法帮助我们明白所需要的是什么。当我们明白神是谁，我们知道我们达不到祂的道德与性情标准；当我们明白自己是什么样的人，我们知道自己内心对罪的倾向。这一切把我们推向耶稣，因为我们明白我们需要一位救主，而这位救主已成全这律法。祂全然顺服，为我们应受的刑罚付上代价，所以律法把我们推向这位救主，指向这位救主，带我们来到这位救主面前。

　　当然，律法也使我们看见，平安蒙福的生命是怎样的。很多人一想到顺服，就会立刻想到说，「我们真得这样吗？一定要行善、要顺服吗？」但耶稣对神的吩咐和旨意的态度不是这样的。耶稣常对门徒说：「我的食物就是遵行差我来者的旨意，做成祂的工。」（约4:34）祂的意思是，遵行神的律法和旨意就像在祂面前摆设丰盛的宴席。当我们借着福音信靠耶稣，我们就被拯救，律法不只指向基督，更使我们明白如何平安蒙福地生活。

　　当神在伊甸园赐给亚当和夏娃祂的命令时，祂所赐下的这些诫命是福分，显明祂对他们的爱。在伊甸园中祂爱他们，又赐福给他们，他们只要对诫命顺服就能蒙福。当我们因耶稣得拯救，与基督联合，我们行事为人就能与这福音相称，并且满有主耶稣基督的样式。因为耶稣乐意顺服神，所以神的律法显明平安蒙福的生命是怎样的，显明当我们信靠耶稣基督时，我们就能活出与福音相称的生活。

祷告

　　赐各样美善恩赐的神，祢的律法向我们显明了何为公义。虽然律法定我们有罪，但藉着律法我们能从中看到祢是何等的圣洁，祢的爱子是何等的完美。虽然我们达不到祢律法的要求，但我们愿意常常为祢的律法献上感谢和赞美，为我们拥有一位救主而欢呼。阿们。

Scripture

ROMANS 3:20

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Commentary

CHARLES SIMEON

These poor men think they can preach the Gospel without preaching the Law. I say, they must preach the Law, unless they do not mean to preach the Gospel. The Law entered that the offence might abound: proclaim it, I say, for this purpose among your ungodly congregations; lift up your voices like trumpets, and tell the people their transgressions, that you may glorify the more your honoured Master, in proclaiming the infinite riches and fulness of His great salvation. Preach the Law to those who believe, as finished, cancelled, dead for their salvation: point them to Immanuel as holding it in His bleeding hand, and saying to them, “If ye love me, keep my Commandments.”

Devotional

LIGON DUNCAN

The law of God helps us to know God, know ourselves, know our need, and know the life of peace and blessedness. It helps us to know God because it specifically reveals his character and his attributes, his holy will, what he’s like.

Paul tells us in Romans 1 that everyone knows right and wrong. But the law of God very specifically reveals to us God’s character and his own moral qualities. Morality is not arbitrary. God doesn’t tell us to do arbitrary things. God does not require us to do things that he is not prepared to do himself. So all morality is rooted in God’s character. And when we study the law, we see a display of God’s character.

God’s law also reveals to us ourselves, especially our sinful nature and our disobedience, our inclination to sin. For instance, when Jesus is talking to the rich young ruler, he says, “Go, sell what you possess, and give to the poor” (Matt. 19:21). And the rich young ruler essentially says to Jesus, “I can’t.” And he walks away sadly. Now what’s going on in that story? Is Jesus saying that we all have to give away all of our possessions? No. But in the case of the rich young ruler, Jesus is revealing to him by the law of God the specific nature of his own sin. What’s the first commandment? To have no other gods before me. And there, God in the flesh is saying to the rich young ruler, “What’s it going to be? Your money, your possessions, or me, God?” And the rich young ruler chooses something over God, before God.

That leads to the third thing that the law helps us with. It helps us to understand our need. When we know who God is, and we know that we don’t measure up to his morality and character, when we know who we are, and we know the sinful inclinations of our hearts, it presses us to Jesus, because we know that we have need of a Savior. And the Savior has fulfilled that law. He’s obeyed it perfectly, and he’s paid the penalty that is due to us for it. The law presses us to the Savior. It points us to the Savior. It takes us to the Savior.

Of course, the law also shows us the life of peace and blessedness. When we think about obedience, many of us immediately think, “Oh, do I have to? Do I have to do good works? Do I have to obey?” That wasn’t Jesus’s attitude toward God’s commands and God’s will. In fact, he frequently said to his disciples, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me” (John 4:34). In other words, he was saying that it was like spreading a seven-course banquet in front of him to be able to obey the law of God, the will of God. And once we’re redeemed, once we’ve trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation as he has offered in the gospel, the law not only is something that points us to Christ, but it also shows us how to live the life of peace and blessedness.

When God originally gave his commands to Adam and Eve in the garden, he gave those commands to them as blessings. They weren’t things upon which his love was contingent. He loved them and blessed them in the garden. And their obedience to the commands was the very sphere in which they enjoyed that blessedness. And when we are saved by Christ, when we are united to Christ, we are able to walk in a manner that is worthy of the gospel. We are to live in a manner that is like the Lord Jesus Christ. And he delighted in obeying God. And so the law of God shows us what that life of peace and blessedness is like. It shows us what it’s like to live a life worthy of the gospel once we’ve trusted in Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Giver of All Good Gifts, your law reveals to us what is just. Though it condemns us, through it we know how great is your holiness and how perfect is your Son. Though we fall short, may we always give you thanks and praise for your law and rejoice that we have a Savior. Amen.