murderer, and Moses into a savior. Is not this horrible blasphemy?


VERSE 17. Is therefore Christ the minister of sin?

This is Hebrew phraseology, also used by Paul in II Corinthians, chapter 3.
There Paul speaks of two ministers: The minister of the letter, and the
minister of the spirit; the minister of the Law, and the minister of grace;
the minister of death, and the minister of life. "Moses," says Paul, "is the
minister of the Law, of sin, wrath, death, and condemnation."

Whoever teaches that good works are indispensable unto salvation, that
to gain heaven a person must suffer afflictions and follow the example of
Christ and of the saints, is a minister of the Law, of sin, wrath, and of
death, for the conscience knows how impossible it is for a person to fulfill
the Law. Why, the Law makes trouble even for those who have the Holy
Spirit. What will not the Law do in the case of the wicked who do not
even have the Holy Spirit?

The Law requires perfect obedience. It condemns all do not accomplish the
will of God. But show me a person who is able to render perfect obedience.
The Law cannot justify. It can only condemn according to the passage:
"Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in
the book of the law to do them."

Paul has good reason for calling the minister of the Law the minister of
sin, for the Law reveals our sinfulness. The realization of sin in turn
frightens the heart and drives it to despair. Therefore all exponents of the
Law and of works deserve to be called tyrants and oppressors.