I think, ultimately, the first error (Adam's) was looking to self, and the Old Covenant (the Law being a species of "the knowledge of good and evil") "rehearses" that error, showing us what we are doing, and the purpose of the New Covenant is to address and correct that error, bringing us to look at Christ and trust in His ability to fulfill in us the good Law (Ro 7) that we, ourselves, can never fulfill, because "in me nothing good dwells".
I think that is the language of "I [the sinful flesh] died to the Law that I might live to God", and "you who seek to be justified by the Law [who are looking at yourselves and trusting in yourselves] are severed from Christ, you are fallen from grace,"--it is supposed to be understood together with "the mind set on the flesh is death, the mind set on the spirit is life and peace".
The knowledge of good and evil, and the Law, sets the mind on self, in which nothing good dwells, guaranteeing failure to fulfill the good Law, but setting the mind on the spirit is setting the mind on Christ in Whom "the fulness of the Godhead dwells"--and since "God alone is good", you can be filled with the substance of goodness, He can perform good in you, so that the righteous requirement of the Law may be fulfilled in us by Him.
Why does it have to be asked what the difference between the Law and Grace is? Because, either way, only doers of the Law will be justified (Ro 2:6-16)--in both the case of the one with the spirit of slavery leading to fear, and of the one with the spirit of adoption leading to crying "Abba, father", there is an expectation of obedience, so... what's the difference?
One difference is obviously in the tenor of the work.
I think the difference is who you are looking at. Whose ability you are trusting in.
Who you really think will get the job done.
That will also determine who gets the glory--and who you expect to get the glory can affect what God is willing to do (Dt 32:26,27; Jd 7:2).
I think that is the language of "I [the sinful flesh] died to the Law that I might live to God", and "you who seek to be justified by the Law [who are looking at yourselves and trusting in yourselves] are severed from Christ, you are fallen from grace,"--it is supposed to be understood together with "the mind set on the flesh is death, the mind set on the spirit is life and peace".
The knowledge of good and evil, and the Law, sets the mind on self, in which nothing good dwells, guaranteeing failure to fulfill the good Law, but setting the mind on the spirit is setting the mind on Christ in Whom "the fulness of the Godhead dwells"--and since "God alone is good", you can be filled with the substance of goodness, He can perform good in you, so that the righteous requirement of the Law may be fulfilled in us by Him.
Why does it have to be asked what the difference between the Law and Grace is? Because, either way, only doers of the Law will be justified (Ro 2:6-16)--in both the case of the one with the spirit of slavery leading to fear, and of the one with the spirit of adoption leading to crying "Abba, father", there is an expectation of obedience, so... what's the difference?
One difference is obviously in the tenor of the work.
I think the difference is who you are looking at. Whose ability you are trusting in.
Who you really think will get the job done.
That will also determine who gets the glory--and who you expect to get the glory can affect what God is willing to do (Dt 32:26,27; Jd 7:2).
