19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.
21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
It is the idea of the covenant that, ultimately, excludes legal thinking. Law as the 'claim of God' becomes constantly misunderstood in legal terms, as something we must do; whereas that claim is not in the first place asking us to do something, but to be something: 'My son, give Me thine heart'. All God wants of us is that we should love Him. It is out of this that all 'doing' springs. This is the principle that needs to be understood. The biblical idea of covenant implies two truths: that God is free, generous love; and that He claims man for this love of Him. The first is God's gift, which man receives without any merit, towards which is only attitude is one of receptiveness. The second is God's claim on man. Man cannot receive the love of God save through being commanded to accept it, and in being claimed by God. God wants me for Himself. It is this radical personal commandment of love that has to be seen. 'Law' involves 'works', doing something definite; 'grace' involves an existence, a way of being, a being in the love of God, which issues in doing God's will.