Why Did God Give The Law?
“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:20-21
The Law didn't enter so we could live by it; it entered that sin (the offence) might abound. The Law didn't enter so that we could live by religious rules and regulations. The Law entered that sin might abound.
The Law entered because God's purpose is that we realize that we cannot justify (save) or sanctify ourselves by our own good works. When the Law entered, sin abounded, and when sin abounded, grace did much more abound. This is the work of God.
But the work of religious man is as follows – when the Law enters, sin abounds, and when sin abounds, religious rules and regulations do much more abound. I think we've got it backwards.
Within this system of religious rules and regulations, in which sin abounds, we have a very serious problem because religious rules reign supreme instead of grace through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
The more we understand the true meaning and purpose of the Law, the more God's grace will abound in our theology, preaching, and practice. James 4:6 says: “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble”.
In my own personal experience with the religion of the works of the Law (that doctrine which mixes works with faith), this religion gives less grace when we sin.
We become humble when we abandon our own good works that we might be justified and sanctified by grace through faith alone in Christ alone.
When we humble ourselves in this manner, God gives us more grace. But in the legalistic system of the works of the Law, being humble means keeping all the rules that they command us. And when we humble ourselves in this way, this religious system does not give us more, but less grace.
When God sees more sin, He gives more grace.
But when religion sees more sin, it gives more rules.
And of course, more rules mean more sin because there is more to disobey. However, God, knowing that we are natural-born rebels, propense to commit sin every moment of every day, gives us more grace.
And so, God gave the Law that we might know that there is nothing to rebel against in His grace.