By I used to try hard to follow the “rules,” as I saw them.
I didn’t drink, didn’t cheat, didn’t lie (much). And I was proud of that.
Then I read Romans 3:19: “The law’s purpose is to shut every mouth.”
That verse stopped me cold.
Suddenly, I realized that the law (beginning with the Ten Commandments) isn’t a checklist to prove my goodness. It is a mirror showing my need.
It didn’t just expose my imperfections; it leveled the playing field.
My pride? Shut down.
My comparisons? Silenced.
My excuses? Gone.
But here’s the beautiful part: when the law shut my mouth, grace opened my heart.
The law pointed me to Jesus—not to condemn me, but to show me the only One who could fulfill it.
And He did.
At the cross, Jesus fulfilled the law and took it out of the devil’s hands (see Colossians 2:14–15).
That means no more accusations, no more condemnation, no more pressure to perform.
I don’t have to prove myself anymore. I just have to embrace what’s already been done.
It’s the same for you.
If you’ve been trying to earn God’s love or outrun your past, let this truth settle in: the law did its job. …
Now grace gets the final word.
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There’s so much more to discover about how Jesus fulfilled the law, therefore defeating both sin and the devil. I put it all in a series called, The Turning Point: 4 Ways Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Changed Everything. Get it this month for your donation of any amount.