Why did God give the law?

• A. To show all people what sin is.
• B. To earn salvation.
• C. To punish sin.
• D. To distinguish nations.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that the law’s purpose is to reveal what sin is. God gave the law to show people what is right and wrong, and when people compare their lives to that standard, they quickly see their own sinfulness. It acts like a mirror that exposes sin, not a ladder that earns salvation. Scripture teaches that the law makes us aware of sin and points us toward our need for a Savior, and it also serves to guide us toward Christ. Because of that, the best answer is that God gave the law to show all people what sin is. The other options miss the point: keeping the law does not earn salvation, the law’s primary aim isn’t to punish sin, and while laws can distinguish nations in some sense, that isn’t the central purpose the Bible states.