The Law - a gift of Grace?

Romans 5:20-21

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Grace is a demonstration of God’s Love and so is Law! God’s love is demonstrated through a gift of Grace, that gift being the Law which exposes sin. It is a gift of grace because without it (the Law) we cannot know what is sin and therefore the Gospel has no meaning to us (why would we need saving if there is nothing to be saved from?).  

Why, then, was the law given?

It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. (Gal 3:19)

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)  
A friend of mine described it this way:

"The law was a gift of grace, not a method for grace. it was is a gift because (a) it reveals the inner nature of the Triune God, (b) it forms the society of extraordinary beauty [see Deut 4 below], and (c) it exposes our sinful nature and drives us to the gospel." (Andrew Olsen)                                            

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith." (Gal. 3:24)

Grace and Law are an outworking/demonstration of God’s love. The Law is not the same as Grace but one can’t be separated from the other. The Law was a gift of Grace. We are able to experience God’s saving Grace because he has given us the Law.

Romans 5:8

 But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The law supposing I have all,

Does ever for perfection call;

The gospel suits my total want,

And all the law can seek does grant.

The law could promise life to me,

If my obedience perfect be;

But grace does promise life upon

My Lord’s obedience alone.

The law says, Do, and life you’ll win;

But grace says, Live, for all is done;

The former cannot ease my grief,

The latter yields me full relief.

The law will not abate a mite,

The gospel all the sum will quit;

There God in thret’nings is array’d

But here in promises display’d.

The law excludes not boasting vain,

But rather feeds it to my bane;

But gospel grace allows no boasts,

Save in the King, the Lord of Hosts.

Lo! in the law Jehovah dwells,

But Jesus is conceal’d;

Whereas the gospel’s nothing else

But Jesus Christ revealed.

Deuteronomy 4

⁵ See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. ⁶ Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’⁷ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? ⁸ And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?

What God did in His law demand

And none to Him could render
Caused wrath and woe on every hand
For man, the vile offender.
Our flesh has not those pure desires
The spirit of the Law requires,
And lost is our condition.

It was a false, misleading dream
That God His Law had given

So sinners could themselves redeem
And by their works gain Heaven.
The Law is but a mirror bright
To bring the inbred sin to light

That lurks within our nature

Pg 14 Handling the word of Truth

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/s/a/l/saluushc.htm

Es ist das Heil uns kom­men her
Paul Speratus

Your grace and love alone avail
To blot out sin with pardon.
In your gaze our best efforts pale,
Develop pride, and harden.
Before your throne no one can boast
That he escaped sin's deadly coast.
Our haven is your mercy.

In God I anchor all my trust,
Discarding my own merit.
His love holds firm; I therefore must
His fullest grace inherit.
He tells me, and my heart has heard,
The steadfast promise of his Word,

That he's my help and haven.

 Pg 40 "Handling the word of Truth"

Pless-Excerpt from, From Depths of Woe I Cry to Thee. Luther

http://ematthaei.blogspot.com/2006/03/from-hymnal.html