the sin of the world is taken away, it is taken away from me. If sin is taken
away, the wrath of God and His condemnation are also taken away. Let us
practice this blessed conviction.


VERSE 18. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make
myself a transgressor.

"I have not preached to the end that I build again the things which I
destroyed. If I should do so, I would not only be laboring in vain, but I
would make myself guilty of a great wrong. By the ministry of the Gospel
I have destroyed sin, heaviness of heart, wrath, and death. I have
abolished the Law, so that it should not bother your conscience any more.
Should I now once again establish the Law, and set up the rule of Moses?
This is exactly what I should be doing, if I would urge circumcision and
the performance of the Law as necessary unto salvation. Instead of
righteousness and life, I would restore sin and death."

By the grace of God we know that we are justified through faith in Christ
alone. We do not mingle law and grace, faith and works. We keep them
far apart. Let every true Christian mark the distinction between law and
grace, and mark it well.

We must not drag good works into the article of justification as the monks
do who maintain that not only good works, but also the punishment
which evildoers suffer for their wicked deeds, deserve everlasting life.
When a criminal is brought to the place of execution, the monks try to
comfort him in this manner: "You want to die willingly and patiently,
and then you will merit remission of your sins and eternal life." What
cruelty is this, that a wretched thief, murderer, robber should be so