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Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. ¹ All the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.”²

Shortly after, God laid out the moral law—the Ten Commandments.³ God likewise gave other laws and rules—detailed instructions about worship, social justice, festivals; specifications about the sanctuary and its furniture and accessories, priests’ garments and consecration, census tax, anointing oil and incense, and the Sabbath.⁴

Note, the promise was predicated with a condition—if you will indeed obey. Although together every Jew agreed and said they would do all that the LORD has spoken (three times),⁵ when Moses met God face to face at Mount Sinai and kept long from coming down the mountain, the people made a golden calf for them to worship thereby sinning against the LORD.⁶ Like our New Year’s resolution, we make a resolve to do but fail.

The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.⁷ Left to our own will and strength, we shall fail. Solomon failed miserably despite his wisdom and wealth. Because of his surpassing knowledge and power, he felt self-sufficient and without the need for God. Thus, he over-indulged. The book of Ecclesiastes contains reflections of Solomon in his old age—everything futile.

During the Passover with his disciples, Jesus mentioned that all will fall away. But Peter boasted “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Indeed, Peter did deny Jesus.⁸  

Likewise, Paul laments of his weakness. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.⁹

Why then should we be given a law that we cannot comply with? Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring [Jesus Christ] should come to whom the promise had been made . . . . For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.¹⁰ The Law gives knowledge of sin.¹¹ It leads us to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.