Israel was a nation and a people who were under the Law of God. It was given to them by God through Moses, who was their mediator, as well as through angelic mediation (Gal. 3:19; Ex. 19–20; 34:1–9). This was a privilege only they had. Other nations had their laws and national constitutions, but they were man-made. Not so for Israel! The apostle Paul mentioned this privilege earlier in the Epistle to the Romans when he wrote, “What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God” (Rom. 3:1–2). The “oracles of God” were the Old Testament Scriptures, and in particular, the books of Moses: the Law. Israel had an advantage over other nations in that they had written, inspired communications from the living God, a wonderful privilege. These oracles showed them how to conduct their nation and order their personal lives.

But herein lay the problem: “the carnal mind,” or the flesh, “is not subject to the law of God” (8:7). In fact, one of the purposes of the law was to show man that he is a sinner (4:15; 5:20; 7:7, 13; Gal. 3:19–24). Israel was the “test case” to prove this. Their history revealed continual insubjection to God’s law. Righteousness could not come through the law (Rom. 10:4), only through faith in God’s provision of grace in Christ.

This is important to understand because some teach we are under the law. It is said, “We are not under law for justification but are for sanctification.” However, we have died to the law and spiritual fruit comes, not through the law or legalism, but through the Spirit of God (6:14; 7:6; 2 Cor. 3:18). May we ever appreciate what Christ—who died under the curse of the law—has wrought for us who believe! Amen.