You are probably going to answer that He gave it to us so we would know what was wrong and right and that we were sinners. I still do not understand why it would matter if we knew that we were sinners or we knew what was wrong and right if no one could keep the commandments.
 

Hi, thanks for the email.

So you failed the Heaven Test...Well, that is the very purpose of the Heaven Test... because that is the very purpose of the law. You are correct that in the law we see God's holy character and through that are given understanding concerning God's laws for what is right and wrong. The problem is that no one has, or could keep them!.

The Bible says that the main reason God gave us the law is to drive us to Christ. You see, here is God's problem - His creation is sinful and doesn't ever measure up to the standard He has set. Yet, through pride, it thinks that it is 'good enough'. Now God has a solution to the sin problem... the death of His son as an atoning sacrifice... but what can He do about the His creation who through pride doesn't even see it's need of Jesus' sacrifice?

So the law was given to show man his fallen nature, and believe it or not, to even increase his sin so that he would look away from himself as the answer and turn to the only one who ever could save - Jesus. These verses teach this -

Rom 5:20 'The law was added (given) so that the trespass might INCREASE. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Gal 3:23-25 'Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

So the law exposes our sin. We see ourselves as we truly are. And having seen the problem, we will then look for the solution - which is that through the death of the Lord Jesus, we may be declared righteous in God's sight through faith in what Jesus has done on our behalf.

There is no person that has lived a TOTALLY perfect life in thought and deed except Jesus. We should always remember that God looks at the inner motives of our heart as well as our outward acts. No one could say that they have always been pure in their inner motives. And nor can a person's good works override the justice demanded by even breaking one law. For example, let's say that I am a perfect driver. I never go over the speed limit or break any of the other road rules. But one day I do go over the speed limit and I'm pulled over by the police. Could I say to them that 'Yes Mr. Policeman, I broke the law and was speeding but I should be let off because I have driven this road at least 100 times under the limit!' Well, you could try but I don't like your chances! Even one breakage of the law demands a punishment. How so much more with God! You should also remember, as James said,

Jam 2:10 "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker."