20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Here we have Apostle Paul’s conclusion drawn from all the foregoing premises: “Seeing all mankind, since the fall, are disabled, by their innate corruption, and actual transgression, to fulfil the law, either natural or written; it must necessarily follow, that by the works of the law can no flesh, that is, no person, either Jew or Gentile, be justified before God, all the efficacy which the law has, being to discover sin and condemn for sinning: By the law is the knowledge of sin. By the law, we apprehend our malady, but by the gospel, we understand our remedy.”
Learn hence, That no son of Adam, since the breach of the law, can stand justified before God by his best obedience to the commands of the law: By being justified, understand that gracious act in God, whereby we are acquitted, and finally discharged from the guilt and punishment of all our sins.
By the law here, and by the deeds of the law, we are to understand ceremonial and moral law both, especially the latter; for by the moral law, is the knowledge of sin: ‘Tis the moral law that forbids theft, adultery, &c. Besides, it is evident that the antithesis, or opposition, runs all along, not between ceremonial works and moral works, but between works in general, and faith: The law of works, and the law of faith are opposed to each other, Ro 3:27.
But why can no flesh, that is, no person, be justified by the deeds of the law?
Ans. 1. Because he is flesh, that is, depraved by original corruption, and obnoxious to the curse of the law, by actual transgression. Now, that which condemns, cannot justify: An after-obedience to the law can never atone for a former disobedience.
2. Because the best obedience we can perform to the law is imperfect. Now, he that mixes but one sin with a thousand good works can never be justified by his works. He that would be justified by his works must not have one bad work amongst all his works; for that one will lay him under the curse and condemnatory sentence of the law: Ga 3 . Cursed is everyone the continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.
Nothing imperfect can be a ground of justification before God, because the design of God is to exalt his justice, as well as his mercy, in the justification of a sinner.
Again, 3. No flesh can be justified by the works of the law, because all that we do, or can do, is a due debt which we owe to the law: We owe all possible obedience to the law as creatures; and by performing our obligation as creatures, we can never pay our debts as transgressors.
But now, our surety, Christ Jesus, who has given satisfaction for our violation of the law, was under no obligation to the law, but what he voluntarily laid himself under upon our account. And if so, let us eternally bless God with the highest elevation of soul for the gospel-revelation, for sending his own son to justify and save us by working out a complete and everlasting righteousness for us: And let us plead with him incessantly for the grace of justifying faith, which is as necessary in its place as the death of Christ. One renders God reconcilable to poor sinners and the other actually reconciled.