16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
17 “But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.” Luke 16:14-17.
We may too use the Law to try to justify ourselves. We may try to justify ourselves by using the Law as a measure stick to compare ourselves to someone else. I am six inches more righteous than him! We also may try to justify ourselves by using the Law as a measure stick to compare where we are now compared to where we were before. I am now three inches more righteous than I was before! By either method, we may try to use the Law to prove our own self-righteousness to justify ourselves.
We also may try to improperly use grace to try to force ourselves in the kingdom of heaven. We may think and even teach that God loves everyone and Christ died for everyone. All that I need to do to be saved is exercise my own free-will on my own terms and force my way into the kingdom of heaven.
But, either way, the Law stands as a guard. “But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.”
The Law stands as a guard against those who seek to justify themselves. Yes, they may be better than someone else. Yes, they may be better than they were. But, the Law will still not allow them to justify themselves. “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:19-20.
The Law also stands as a guard against those who try to improperly use grace to try to force themselves in the kingdom of heaven. Guests must wear the perfect wedding clothes of the perfect righteousness of Christ. The Law will not allow wedding-crashers. “But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. “Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:11-14.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 