In this life, the Christian will always be dealing with sin. This side of heaven, there’s no sinless perfection. God’s good and holy law is a tool that reminds us of this reality. It is a searchlight that shows us who we really are, as we deal with remaining sin that still wars within us. This rightly frustrates the believer, as we battle wrong impulses that persist. Yet we need not despair—though we’re commanded to keep God’s law, those who are in Christ are not condemned by it, for He has paid for all our sins. The law and the gospel thus work together to encourage believers to rest in Christ’s work for them.