Leviticus 18:5 promises life through obedience, yet Romans 3:20 says the Law can’t grant righteousness. Is this an irreconcilable contradiction? Understanding the Question Leviticus 18:5 states, “Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD.”. Meanwhile, Romans 3:20 declares, “Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.”. At first glance, these verses appear to contradict each other: one promises life through obedience to the Law, while the other refutes the possibility of attaining righteousness by the Law. The following provides an in-depth examination of these passages, showing they do not irreconcilably conflict but rather fulfill complementary roles in Scripture’s larger message. 1. The Immediate Context of Leviticus 18:5 Leviticus 18:5 is set within Moses’ presentation of commands given to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. The verse underscores the principle that obedience to God’s statutes leads to flourishing. In the ancient world, God’s instructions provided a framework for a just and holy community. The promise “the man who does these things will live by them” emphasizes that living according to God’s commands results in earthly benefit, spiritual prosperity, and a covenantal relationship with Him. Several Biblical passages reflect this same point: • Deuteronomy 30:15–16 – Moses presents life and prosperity versus death and adversity, urging Israel to choose life. • Ezekiel 20:11 – God proclaims that He gave His statutes “so that the man who does them will live by them.” These promises highlight the goodness and wisdom of God’s Law, showing that living in accordance with God’s holiness fosters a thriving moral and social order. However, it never claims that obedience alone eternally saves a person from the guilt of sin; rather, it points to living under His covenant blessings. 2. The Immediate Context of Romans 3:20 In Romans 3:20, the Apostle Paul is arguing that human beings are universally sinful and cannot attain righteousness before God by their own merit. He writes, “Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.”. The emphasis is on “justification”—a legal standing of righteousness in the presence of God. Paul’s point is that the purpose of the Mosaic Law was, in part, to highlight human inability to fulfill it perfectly. Throughout Romans 1–3, Paul demonstrates that both Gentiles (who did not have the Mosaic Law) and Jews (who did) are under sin and therefore unable to justify themselves by their deeds: • Romans 3:10–12 – “There is no one righteous, not even one…” • Galatians 3:10 – “All who rely on works of the law are under a curse…” Thus, although the Law is good and reveals God’s holiness, it also exposes humanity’s sinfulness, showing that no one can keep the Law perfectly for eternal justification. 3. Harmonizing the Two Passages When Leviticus 18:5 promises “life” through obedience, it speaks to the blessings inherent in living under God’s commands and in close relationship with Him. Yet, Romans 3:20 stresses that mere human effort to keep the Law cannot eradicate sin or achieve blamelessness before a perfectly holy God. The Law, therefore, operates on two levels: 1. Temporal/Covenantal Life – Obedience leads to order, health, and God’s covenantal favor. Israel’s national blessing and curse structure (see Deuteronomy 28) illustrates that those who follow God’s ways experience tangible blessings in the land. 2. Eternal Justification – Perfect, sinless obedience as required by God’s righteousness is unattainable by humanity. As Romans highlights, only faith in God’s redemptive plan brings true justification. The difference lies in the scope. Leviticus 18:5’s emphasis on “living by” God’s statutes remains true within the covenant context, but it does not negate that every person ultimately falls short of perfect adherence (Romans 3:23). For eternal standing before God, a greater provision—Christ’s atoning sacrifice—is required (Romans 3:24–25). 4. The Purpose of the Law Scripture collectively testifies that the Law serves multiple purposes: 1. A Guardian and Teacher (Galatians 3:24) The Law guided Israel in righteousness and foreshadowed the Messiah’s role, pointing to the need for a rich, inner transformation. Its sacrifices and ceremonies underscored humanity’s inability to fully meet divine standards and brought constant reminders of sin. 2. A Moral Standard The Law reveals the holiness of God, setting a clear standard of behavior that resonates with His character. Even today, aspects of God’s moral law shape ethics and guide people toward recognizing the difference between right and wrong. 3. A Way to Show God’s Character Through the Law, God demonstrated His morality and justice, as well as His compassion and mercy (e.g., provisions for the poor, foreigner, fatherless, and widow). While Israel was chosen to showcase these attributes, no single individual under the Law lived without sin (Romans 3:23). 5. Jesus Fulfills the Law In the New Testament, Jesus affirms and fulfills the Mosaic Law. Matthew 5:17 records Him stating, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Because Christ kept every requirement of the Law flawlessly, He alone merited the kind of perfect obedience Leviticus 18:5 demands for ultimate “life.” Through His death and resurrection, believers partake in His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Consequently, the seeming contradiction between Leviticus 18:5 and Romans 3:20 is resolved in Christ: • By His grace, His obedient life is credited to believers. • The promises of “life” in the Law are fully satisfied in Him. 6. The Broader Endorsement of Scripture’s Consistency Various external lines of evidence also affirm the unity of these teachings: • Ancient Manuscript Evidence: The Hebrew text of Leviticus is well-attested among the Dead Sea Scrolls (e.g., 4QLevf), consistent with the Masoretic Text used today. Pauline epistles, such as Romans, have abundant early Greek manuscripts, carefully preserved and showing no textual corruption that would suggest contradiction. Scholarly work by textual critics (including comparisons of thousands of manuscripts) supports the integrity of these passages. • Archaeological and Historical Confirmation: Excavations in Israel (e.g., at Lachish and Hazor) reaffirm the cultural and historical context in which Mosaic laws were implemented, enhancing confidence that biblical records accurately reflect genuine Israelite legal and societal practices. • Philosophical and Theological Coherence: Philosophically, the concept of moral law underscores the need for a divine standard. If humans are naturally inclined toward wrongdoing, no self-generated moral system finalizes a verdict of innocence. The Law, as Scripture presents it, aligns with observable human behavior—an innate sense of moral requirement contrasted with our inability to perfectly fulfill it. 7. Conclusion Far from being an irreconcilable contradiction, Leviticus 18:5 and Romans 3:20 together show two dimensions of God’s moral and redemptive plan: 1. Obedience to God’s commands brings life and blessing, as part of the broader covenant relationship He offers. 2. Perfect righteousness cannot be achieved by human effort alone. The Law illuminates our shortcomings and points to the necessity of redemption found in Christ’s sinless life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection. God’s Word speaks with a unified message: the Law is holy and good, yet it is Christ alone who grants spiritual life and justification by faith. As a result, there is no contradiction—only a profound harmony in Scripture that displays the fullness of God’s character and plan for redemption. |
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