The person who is zealous of pleasing God in action, in speech, and in motive and imagination will discover there is a law of sin dwelling in his flesh that deceives him into behaving in a manner contrary to the standards of behavior required by the Law—particularly by the Ten Commandments.

It is one matter to recognize that the human personality contains indwelling sin and only the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is effective in delivering us from that sin.

It is quite another matter to interpret Paul's teaching in Romans, Chapter Seven to mean the believer is to forget about his conduct on earth because it is impossible for him to please God by his behavior. He is only to trust in the forgiveness of God through Christ. The human being is a debtor to the flesh as long as he lives. We are obliged to continue in our sins but we are saved by grace (defined as unconditional forgiveness).

If such is true, let us throw out the Books of First John, First and Second Peter, Hebrews, James, Revelation, and most of the writings of Paul. These books do not emphasize salvation through Christ's forgiveness, although Christ's forgiveness undergirds all writings of the new covenant. The books we have mentioned emphasize repentance and righteous conduct.

John goes so far as to warn us that if we are not keeping God's commandments we have no part in the new covenant.

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him (I John 2:4).

Was righteousness expected under the old covenant, or were the Israelites to continue in their sins, hoping they would be saved by grace when Christ came?

If you were an Israelite under the old covenant, how would you respond to the Word of God?

Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways (Psalms 119:2,3).

Did many Israelites serve God by doing His commandments and seeking His Presence?

Of course they did. Did they "seek him with the whole heart"?

Yes, they did. Many of them did. Did they practice righteousness and walk in his ways?

Yes they did—by the thousands!

Did such righteous Israelites ever sin?

Of course they did, and God made provision for them in the sin and trespass offerings.

Notice the testimony of Zacharias and Elizabeth:

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (Luke 1:6).

Did Zacharias and Elisabeth attain righteousness?

Yes, they did. How did they attain righteousness?

By walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Law of Moses.

What does Luke 1:6 above do to the teachings of grace that hold that no person was advised under the old covenant or is advised under the new covenant to attempt to behave righteously because this is an insult to the grace of God?

Luke 1:6 reveals the error of such teaching. It is not scriptural and it never entered the mind of Paul. It is the product of later teachers who misunderstood Paul.

To be continued.