"Gal. 3, 12 we read: The Law is not of faith; but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. This is an exceedingly important passage. The Law has nothing to say about forgiveness, about grace. The Law does not say: 'If you are contrite, if you begin to make amends, the remainder of your trespasses will be forgiven.' Not a word of this found in the Law. The Law issues only commands and demands. The Gospel, on the other hand, only makes offers. It means, not to take anything, but only to give.
Accordingly we read, John 1, 17: The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. What a momentous statement this is: the Gospel contains nothing but grace and truth! When reading the Law, pondering it, and measuring our conduct against its teaching, we are terrified by the multitude of demands which it makes upon us. If nothing else were told us, we should be hurled into despair - we should be lost. God be praised! there is still another doctrine, the Gospel. To that we cling." - C.F.W. Walther, The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel, Pg. 9
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