“The law of the Ten Commandments has no power to accuse and frighten the conscience in which Jesus Christ reigns by his grace, for he has abolished its power. Not that the conscience does not feel the terrors of the law, but the commandments cannot condemn it or reduce it to despair (Romans 8:28; John 8:36). So then, however much we may be terrified by the law when it shows us our sin, we still do not despair, for we believe in Jesus Christ, and being baptized in him and cleansed by his blood, we have forgiveness of all our sins. When our sin is pardoned through Christ, who is the Lord of the law and gave himself for us, the law, which is a servant, has no more power to accuse and condemn us for sin since our sin is forgiven and we are now made free, for the Son had delivered us from slavery. Therefore, the law is completely abolished to those who believe in Christ.”
Martin Luther, 1531 Galatians Commentary (McGrath & Packer ed.) p.234
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10 comments
Arni Zachariassen says:
Oct 10, 2009
Beautiful. Thank you!
Joshua Corrigan says:
Oct 11, 2009
Wow. Thanks be to God!
Scott says:
Oct 11, 2009
A beautiful thought to be sure, but how do we reckon it against Jesus' statement, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets [Old Testament]; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17). Jesus is the spirit of the Law, but the Law remains, if only in spirit…
Michael says:
Oct 12, 2009
how do we reckon it against Jesus' statement….
Scott, as I understand it, especially in light of Paul's epistles, Jesus did not abolish the Law but fulfilled; its requirements were perfectly met in Christ, freeing me from the need to do so. I suppose in rough lay terms the end result is the same, but I'll let the theologians in the crowd discuss that.
I just wanted to say it's a beautiful quote, and a very welcome read on a Monday mornig.
Matt McCormick says:
Oct 12, 2009
Hey Scott
Would you clarify your question? As you implied, this qoute is not speaking against the OT. There is gospel in the OT. Jesus fulfilled the OT. Again clarity would be helpful
Also what do you mean by "Jesus is the spirit of the Law"? Which bible verse (s) are you citing or refering to?
Again this would be helpful.
Michael Cooper says:
Oct 12, 2009
Just a note to say that the "Michael" above is not me, the Calvinist lawyer–this "Michael" is much too nice. Anyway, I will be "Michael Cooper" to distinguish between the two from now on. So, "telos" may in this world continue to be ambiguous, but "michael" has now been clarified.
Scott says:
Oct 12, 2009
The way I see it, Jesus did come to fulfill the OT, but though He certainly DID take care of the condemnation we find there (it's very purpose, Paul might argue), it seems Jesus was actually UPPING the anty, not taking it out of play. Seems we're still to strive for righteousness (not negated) but to understand they are for our own good and the identification of the impossibility of fulfilling them perfectly, which leads us to Jesus. His life clearly demonstrated the fulfillment of the OT and gave us an example to try and follow and a Savior to save us when we "fail" at the attempt (though do we truly fail if we attempt and understand inside the process?…).
Sean Norris says:
Oct 12, 2009
Perhaps a more accurate statement would be to say that WE have been abolished in relation to the law.
Romans 7:4-6, "Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit."
Existentially, Luther's statement means the same thing.
Matt McCormick says:
Oct 12, 2009
For believers, Christ is the end of the law (Rom. 10:4). The law's actual power to accuse you before the Father is abolished. So when it threatens or accuses you, no matter how real it may feel, it is an empty threat because Christ has fulfilled its demand and thus abolished its legitimacy to accuse any Christian before the Father (Rom 8:1). Think Neo at the end of The Matrix
. God's grace in Christ abounds more than any of your sins (Rom. 3:20). This is where Luther is going.
JDK says:
Oct 13, 2009
great point sean. . .