The Purpose of the Law
Many people who believe that the law was nailed to the cross think that the law was very harsh and cruel bringing death to all those who lived in them. They fail to recognize the purpose, which the law serves. In Paul's writings to the Galatians he mentions that "the law was OUR schoolmaster to bring US to Christ…" (Gal. 3:24).
Before a person knows any of God's truth, he lives a life contrary to the laws of God, since the carnal (unconverted) mind is enmity against God (Rom. 8:7) In fact, the things concerning the Spirit of God "are foolishness unto him" (I Cor. 2:14). A person doesn't even realize that he is committing sins against God until he becomes aware of the fact that there is an existing law that defines sin, "for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20). Once a person does realize that the law of God exists, he then knows that he has committed various sins against God, and that he carries the death penalty. It is quite a shocking realization. This is the reason why Paul writes that "we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law (to them who are under the penalty of death): THAT EVERY MOUTH MAY BE STOPPED and all the world may become guilty before God" (Rom. 3:19).
A Way of Escape
After a person receives this knowledge, he then has to realize that the only way that he can have the penalty of death removed from him is to repent of his sins, be baptized, and receive the Spirit of God. He should then continue to observe the commandments of God the best he can (Matt. 28:19-20); (Luke 24:47).
Since a person can have the death penalty removed ONLY by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and since everyone has committed sins and carries the death sentence, it can easily be seen why Paul writes "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that ARE PAST through the forbearance of God; to declare I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (Rom. 3:23-28). Paul continues in verse 31 of the same chapter "Do we then make VOID (no good) the law through faith? GOD FORBID: YES, WE ESTABLISH THE LAW." Yes, we now establish the law because before we knew the truth we did not keep the law. We did not realize the law existed.