“Perhaps not surprisingly, Christians who assume that God is preoccupied with sin tend themselves to adopt the same focus. … Unfortunately, while they may give intellectual assent to God’s love, they often experience very little of it.”

(Benner, David G. Surrender to Love: Discovering the Heart of Christian Spirituality. Expanded ed. Downers Grove, Ill: IVP Books, 2015, p. 22)

Benner make an interesting comment about the result of where we focus of our attention. We can either zero in on the Law, or on the Gospel. This is not to say that either pole is erased. Both are still there. But if we think of God first as a law-giver, Benner says we’ll likely be legalists. If we think of God first as our gracious Savior, we’ll likely be Gospel-oriented.