To mingle grace with the law changes nothing in its effect, except to aggravate the penalty that results from it by aggravating the guilt of him who violated the law, in spite of the goodness and the grace. The second descent of Moses from Mount Sinai [took place after] he had heard the name of Jehovah proclaimed: “merciful and gracious” (Ex. 34:66And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, (Exodus 34:6)). God [had made] all His goodness pass before him, and the face of Moses reflected the glory which he had seen, partial as it may have been.
There are many Christians who make a law of Christ Himself. They think of His love as a fresh motive to oblige them to love Him. It is an obligation, a very great obligation which they feel bound to satisfy. That is to say, they are still under the law, and consequently they are under condemnation.
The ministry which the Apostle Paul fulfilled was not this. It was the ministry of righteousness and of the Spirit—not as requiring righteousness in order to stand before God, but as revealing it. Christ was this righteousness, made such on God’s part for us, and we are made the righteousness of God in Him. The gospel proclaimed righteousness on God’s part, instead of requiring it from man according to the law.
J. N. Darby (Synopsis on 2 Corinthians 3)