What the apostle Paul has been saying about justification by faith, receiving by faith the free gift of forgiveness only because of what Jesus has done, raises a question about the place of the Law. The Law was held in very high regard by people from a Jewish background. As we have already seen in this letter, however, no-one can be made right with God by keeping the Law. What then is the place and purpose of the Law?

Paul says that the Law is definitely not nullified, instead it is upheld. There are at least two reasons for this answer. Firstly, as he had said earlier, “…..through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.” Secondly, and related to the first, Paul says in one of his other letters,  “…. the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”