How do you deal with your sin-troubled conscience? How should pastors and elders counsel Christians afflicted by guilt over past sins, or struggles with present sin? Sadly, I think we too often direct ourselves or others back to the Law: "Here's God's will; just pray for grace to do it!" Putting off sin and putting on righteousness are part of our on-going sanctification. But they must spring from the reality of our justification before God because of Christ. Only a conscience free from the fear of God's judgment can freely fight the sin that remains in our lives. Otherwise, our pursuit of holiness will be nothing more than a perverse Protestant penance, where we try to win back God's favor and "make up" for our sins - an insult to Christ and the sufficiency of His Cross and righteousness for our justification.
Again, Dr. Luther dispenses good Gospel medicine here, in his comments on Galatians 1:3.
3—Grace Be To
You and Peace From God the Father, and From Our Lord Jesus Christ.
This greeting of the Apostle is strange unto the world, and was never heard
of prior to the preaching of the gospel. These two words, grace and peace,
comprehend in them whatever belongs to Christianity. Grace releases sin, and
peace makes the conscience quiet. The two fiends that torment us are sin and
conscience. But Christ has vanquished these two monsters, and trodden them
underfoot, both in this world, and in that which is to come. This the world
does not know, and therefore can teach no certainty of the overcoming of sin,
conscience, and death. Only Christians have this kind of doctrine and are
exercised and armed with it to get victory against sin, despair, and
everlasting death. It is a kind of doctrine neither proceeding from free will,
nor invented by the reason or wisdom of man, but given from above.
Moreover, these two words, grace and peace, contain in
them the whole sum of Christianity. Grace contains the remission of sins; peace
a quiet and joyful conscience. Peace of conscience can never be had, unless sin
be first forgiven. But sin is not forgiven by the fulfilling of the law; for no
man is able to satisfy the law. The law shows sin, accuses and terrifies the
conscience, declares the wrath of God, and drives to desperation. Much less is
sin taken away by the works and inventions of men, but sin is rather increased
by works. So there is no means to take away sin, but grace alone. Therefore,
Paul in all the greetings of his epistles sets grace and peace against sin and
an evil conscience.
This thing must be diligently marked. The words are easy. But in temptation, it is the hardest thing that can be, to be certainly persuaded in our hearts, that by grace alone (all other means either in heaven or in earth set apart) we have remission of sins, and peace with God. The world understands not this doctrine; and therefore it neither will nor can abide it, but condemns it as heretical and wicked. It boasts of free will, of the light of reason, of the powers and qualities of nature, and of good works, as means whereby it can discern and attain grace and peace, that is to say, forgiveness of sins and a quiet conscience. But it is impossible that the conscience should be quiet and joyful, unless it have peace through grace, that is to say, through the forgiveness of sins promised in Christ.
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