But whereas the latter focuses on how God rules with his left hand for the well-being of creation and with his right hand for the well-being of the church, law and gospel deal with the two works of God by which he brings about his goals for creation and the church.
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Oxford Research Encyclopedias Religion. Confusion and mistakes will occur if we engage in equivocation, or if we make improper contrasts between law and gospel, or if our understanding of any of the varied meanings is incorrect, or if we dogmatically restrict the meaning of law and gospel.
This is similar but not identical to the distinction between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace because the covenant of grace is broader than justification. The distinction between the law and the gospel in this sense is stark and absolute. The law is justification by works, which is how Adam would have obtained eternal life, and the gospel is justification by faith in Christ, which is the only way sinners are able to receive eternal life.
We are justified by faith apart from works. This is one way the Westminster Confession of Faith uses these two terms. Chapter 7. Our First Christmas Open Night. Birds of a Bible-Denying Feather.
Hans Lufft and Luther's Bible. The Female Reformation Printer. Reformation and the Printing Press. Luther Quotes 37 — The Indwelling Christ. December 5 5 posts November 20 20 posts October 14 14 posts September 25 25 posts August 23 23 posts July 31 31 posts June 30 30 posts May 30 30 posts April 30 30 posts March 31 31 posts February 28 28 posts January 31 31 posts. Hence is it that the law requires righteousness inherent, but the gospel righteousness imputed.
Thirdly , the law is propounded to the unrepentant sinner to bring him to faith, but the gospel to the believer to the begetting and increase of faith. Fourthly , the law shows sin, accuses, and reveals justice without mercy; but the gospel covers sin and is a qualification of the rigor of the law. Thus the law, which only manifests justice, is moderated by the gospel, which mingles mercy and justice together, justice upon Christ, mercy unto us.
Fifthly , the law tells us what good works must be done; the gospel, how they must be done. The former declares the matter of our obedience; the latter directs us in the manner of obeying. The former is pleased with nothing but the deed; the latter signifies that God is pleased to accept the will and unfeigned endeavor for the deed itself. Sixthly , the law is no worker of grace and salvation, no, not instrumentally; for it is the ministry of death.
The gospel that is preached works grace only, though the law may be a hammer to break the heart and prepare the way to faith and repentance. The papists, who hold that they are one doctrine only, but herein differing: that the law is more dark, the gospel more plain; the former more hard to fulfill, the latter more easy; that is as the root of a tree, this as the body and branches.
By which premises they would conclude Christ to be no Savior but an instrument rather for us to save ourselves by His giving us grace to keep the law; for a sinner must needs be saved by works, if there is no difference between the law and the gospel, and if the law which requires works were not moderated by the gospel, which requires not works but faith.
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