God Demands Perfect Conformity

That the law of God is thus strict in its demands, is a truth which lies at the foundation of all Paul's reasoning in reference to the method of justification. He proves that the Gentiles have sinned against the law written on their hearts; and that the Jews have broken the law revealed in their Scriptures ; both Jews and Gentiles therefore are under sin, and the whole world is guilty before God. Hence he infers that by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. There is however no force in this reasoning, except on the assumption, that the law demands perfect obedience. How many men, who freely acknowledge that they are sinners, depend upon their works for acceptance with God ! They see no inconsistency between the acknowledgment of sin, and the expectation of justification by works. The reason is, they proceed upon a very different principle from that adopted by the apostle. They suppose that the law may be satisfied by very im perfect obedience. Paul assumes that God demands perfect conformity to his will, that his wrath is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. With him therefore it is enough that men have sinned, to prove that they cannot be justified by works. It is not a question of degrees, more or less, for as to this point there is no difference, since all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Source: Charles Hodge, The Way of Life. Philadelphia, American Sunday-school Union (1841).