Note 16 at 1 Tim. 1:8: This is the same man who said that the law was not of faith (see note 17 at Gal. 3:12, p. 1067), the law killed and condemned (see note 1 at 2 Cor. 3:7, p. 990), the law strengthened sin (see note 26 at 1 Cor. 15:56, p. 967), and the law made sin come alive in us (see note 5 at Rom. 7:11, p. 788). Now Paul is saying that there is a good use of the law.

Paul was never against the law of God. He was just against it as a means of obtaining right relationship with God (see note 14 at Rom. 3:31, p. 760). This was not it's purpose (see note 4 at Rom. 3:19, p. 757). The law is good if it is used to condemn people and bring them to a place where there is no deception about self salvation. If the law is used in that way, then it is good.

The problem comes when people who have already come to the Lord for salvation try to continue to improve upon that relationship by their works or by keeping of the law. This is not right. The law isn't for a person who is righteous through Jesus (see note 17 at v. 9).