First of all, neither you nor anyone else can keep the law. Remember, anyone who is puts themselves under the law must keep the entire law. And when you break it in one place, you've broken the whole law. Therefore, if you are equating the keeping of the law with love for God, then you are failing. Jesus came in the flesh and did what mankind could not do, which is keep the law. Instead of trying to meet the righteous requirements of the law, we are to recognize Jesus as the One who fulfilled it perfectly and that on our behalf. If you are trying to keep the law, then you are not trusting in him as the one who fulfilled it. The power of sin is the law. It is also the ammunition that Satan used against those under the law and that because of our sinful nature. I have never in my Christian life have even thought of the law as attempting to keep it. I follow Christ and when when I sin, I confess it and according to scripture he forgives me and cleanses me of all unrighteousness. But because the spirit dwells in me, my desire is not to commit sin.
Jesus didn't come her to fulfill the law so that we could continue trying to keep something that we continue to fail at. He didn't come to perpetuate the law, but to fulfill and bring it to its end as completed. We are completely free in Christ. For those under the law, when they fail at it, it brings wrath.
"For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law--I stopped trying to meet all its requirements--so that I might live for God."
Jesus didn't come her to fulfill the law so that we could continue trying to keep something that we continue to fail at. He didn't come to perpetuate the law, but to fulfill and bring it to its end as completed. We are completely free in Christ. For those under the law, when they fail at it, it brings wrath.
"For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law--I stopped trying to meet all its requirements--so that I might live for God."
You said "neither you nor anyone else can keep the law"
So I read (neither you nor anyone else can love). Well on our own I would agree. But when Christ is in you I have no choice but to disagree.
I find your response very letter of the law, legalistic in other words. Now hear me out, I am not trying to say you are a legalist though you may well be one.
But your arguments are from a legalist perspective.
You said " If you are trying to keep the law". In answer to the "if" I say no I do not try to keep the law, Yet I keep it. How? I put my trust in Him and His love transforms me daily. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Not our love but His love through us. Thus I keep the law or rather Christ in me keeps it and it appears as if I am keeping it.
You said "my desire is not to commit sin"
So your desire is not to commit sin, which means you desire to keep the law because to not sin is to keep the law. The law of course being love, You desire to love which is good. We both know that only by the Spirit can that become reality. But we must not forget that the 10 commandments are a written expression of a loving relationship between God and man and man and man.
That is why love fulfils the law. The Jews missed the love part and thus were left with the letter which without love is nothing. with love is everything. which brings me back to your point.
You argue against those who speak of keeping the law as if they do so by the same manner in which Israel did of old. Thus you argue against a letter based legal position. In my case at least you have missed the boat, because while I do believe Gods true people keep the law, it is only because the Love of God is in them by Grace through faith. They are transformed new creatures. Keeping the law is a fruit of love. you can not love and not keep them.