with good works. This is wrong. The true Gospel declares that good works are
the embellishment of faith, but that faith itself is the gift and work of God
in our hearts. Faith is able to justify, because it apprehends Christ, the
Redeemer.

Human reason can think only in terms of the Law. It mumbles: "This I have
done, this I have not done." But faith looks to Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
given into death for the sins of the whole world. To turn one's eyes away
from Jesus means to turn them to the Law.

True faith lays hold of Christ and leans on Him alone. Our opponents cannot
understand this. In their blindness they cast away the precious pearl,
Christ, and hang onto their stubborn works. They have no idea what faith is.
How can they teach faith to others?

Not satisfied with teaching an untrue gospel, the false apostles tried to
entangle Paul. "They went about," says Paul, "to spy out our liberty which we
have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage."

When Paul saw through their scheme, he attacked the false apostles. He says,
"We did not let go of the liberty which we have in Christ Jesus. We routed
them by the judgment of the apostles, and we would not give in to them, no,
not an inch."

We too were willing to make all kinds of concessions to the papists. Yes, we
are willing to offer them more than we should. But we will not give up the
liberty of conscience which we have in Christ Jesus. We refuse to have our
conscience bound by any work or law, so that by doing this or that we should
be righteous, or leaving this or that undone we should be damned.