Note 17 at Gal. 3:12: What a radical statement! "The law is not of faith." When combined with Romans 14:23 which says, ". . .whatsoever is not of faith is sin," then this statement must have been near blasphemy to the legalistic Jews, just as it is to legalistic Christians today. It is sin for the New Testament believer to try to relate to God on the basis of attempting to keep the Old Testament law. The law itself is not sin (Rom. 7:7). But it is sin to try to use the law for justification with God. That was never the purpose of the law (see ref. k at v. 11, p. 1066).

Under law a person got what he deserved. Under faith, the New Testament believer receives grace because of what Jesus did for him. Any departure from faith, especially a departure back to the Old Testament law, voids the work of Christ (Gal. 2:21) and is the worst sin of all.

Note 18 at Gal. 3:12: Paul is now quoting Leviticus 18:5 (see O.T. Scripture cited in v. 12) which he also quotes in Romans 10:5 (see Rom. 10:3-10). In Romans 10, Paul contrasts the law, which says, "DO and you shall live," with faith, which says, "DONE" and receives what grace has already provided.