The Conscience of Christ

The Conscience of Christ

Comments on Galatians with an ear to Luther’s commentary

Scripture Text: Galatians 1:6-9 and Hebrews 8:12-13

Series: Comments on Galatians

Today's Scripture Jigsaw

The law condemns; it never soothes the conscience. The law tells you what you must do and the consequences if you do not. Then it tells you that you performed poorly and reminds you of the penalty. Try as you might, you will not keep the law, therefore you will feel guilty. So, your conscience tells you that you must do something to appease God. What your conscience is saying in reality is: I need to do something to make my guilty conscience go away. Therefore, works is idolatry. Your guilty conscience has set you up as the one to appease. That is a distortion of the gospel, a vile heresy (Galatians 1:7–8).

You must have a new conscience: Christ’s conscience. Then when you sin, when you break God’s law, while your conscience tells you that you are guilty and must do some work to please God, Christ’s conscience says: I knew you would do this; that is why I came to die and fulfill the old covenant. I still love you and forgive you so, keep the faith.
 

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