The promises. — Here, as in Galatians 3:16, the plural, because the promise to Abraham was several times repeated, and afterwards ratified to his descendants.
For if... — The argument which follows begins with a concession. Though the Law was no substitute for the promise, it yet directly led up to it.
Given life. — This is practically equivalent to “justified,” or “made righteous.” He who is justified has life — both true spiritual life in the present and eternal life in the future. That the Law could not justify had been shown in Galatians 3:11 and in Romans 3:20.