with humility, praying that we may never lose the light of the Gospel. "Lord,
increase our faith."


VERSE 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to
the truth of the gospel.

No one except Paul had his eyes open. Consequently it was his duty to
reprove Peter and his followers for swerving from the truth of the Gospel. It
was no easy task for Paul to reprimand Peter. To the honor of Peter it must
be said that he took the correction. No doubt, he freely acknowledged his
fault.

The person who can rightly divide Law and Gospel has reason to thank God. He
is a true theologian. I must confess that in times of temptation I do not
always know how to do it. To divide Law and Gospel means to place the
Gospel in heaven, and to keep the Law on earth; to call the righteousness of
the Gospel heavenly, and the righteousness of the Law earthly; to put as much
difference between the righteousness of the Gospel and that of the Law, as
there is difference between day and night. If it is a question of faith or
conscience, ignore the Law entirely. If it is a question of works, then lift
high the lantern of works and the righteousness of the Law. If your
conscience is oppressed with a sense of sin, talk to your conscience. Say:
"You are now groveling in the dirt. You are now a laboring ass. Go ahead, and
carry your burden. But why don't you mount up to heaven? There the Law
cannot follow you!" Leave the ass burdened with laws behind in the valley.
But your conscience, let it ascend with Isaac into the mountain.

In civil life obedience to the law is severely required. In civil life Gospel,
conscience, grace, remission of sins, Christ Himself, do not count, but only