"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh."—Rom. 8:3.
The law, is the law of sin and death. Law, we may define to be a principle or regulation of existence, without which nothing could have place. There can be no movement except according to a law of motion, no life except by the law of Life, and no sin unless there be a law of sin. "For without law sin [would be] dead." Rom. 7:8. Sin is the attempt to demonstrate the existence of life and truth apart from God. Hence it rests on a false hypothesis; but the Principle whereby God, being the source of all Truth and Life, every opposite belief is perplexing and destructive. Paul terms it "the law of sin and death." "I had not known lust [that is the sinfulness of it] except the law had said, 'Thou shalt not covet." Not the tenth commandment is meant ; for conscience had always declared the violated law, of which, indeed, the Jewish code, with its (humanly speaking) perfect sanitary regulations, I deem a divinely given type.
"This do and thou shalt live." But man was unable to observe the law. Nevertheless Life did exist, and man was still God's image ; therefore the law was a school-master to lead men to Truth.
