Christ's "Sermon on the Mount" (Mt 5,6,7) demonstrates the spirit of the law and also the impossibility for any son of Adam to uphold the law at all points. To look upon a woman with lust was an act of adultery. To hate some one, any one, was to have murder in your heart. To envy anyone was tantamount to theft. Conclusion? The Law could save no one. It can only point out our inability to keep it. It can only condemn.

This doesn't mean the Law is wrong or insane. It means that Mankind needs something other than the Law to save it. SS's solution is to nullify the Law by ignoring it or abrogating it. Try that with the State's laws and see how far that gets you with the judge. More than ditto with God's laws.

That is why, within the scope of Judeo-Christian theology, it is the doctrine of the Grace of God that save all who place their faith in it. To the Jews, it is the sacrifice of the Passover which spares them. To the Christian it is the sacrifice of Christ which will bring one into the right relationship with God.

Notice I said "within the scope of Judeo-Christian theology". No one (least of all I) is saying that it is your imperative. If you don't believe then you don't believe. True, Christ said "whosoever will may come" but to those who considered themselves righteous he said (quoting Hosea 6:6 in part) "'I will have mercy, and not sacrifice': for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Mt 9:13).

So, if you believe your own standards are superior, fine. If you believe in your own righteousness, fine. If you believe none of it or your own version of it fine but for we who believe that the Bible (including the New Testament) IS the inspired word of God, we look to Jesus the Christ as our atonement with God. There. That's easy to understand and should be of no offense to any who choose to believe differently.

As in most everything, if it doesn't apply to you, then it doesn't apply.