Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. (Gal 3:21 NIV)

Old and New Testament, old and new ages arranged next to each other, although they are so different. It’s one of those great mysteries how these two belong and fit together. St. Paul addresses enemies of the gospel. They make life and salvation dependent of legal requirements and not grasping the gospel, which lifts high the cross for veneration and trusting faith. His enemies did not understand the difference between law and gospel properly. The apostle St. Paul works hard at clarifying this so that all might recognize that neither life nor righteousness emanate from the law. At best the law can protect and guard given life and righteousness, but it can never give it to those, who have lost these precious treasures. This is a given handicap of the law and legalism. God – our Lord – did not have the intention of sharing life and righteousness when he pronounced his commandments. Everybody can experience the truth of the apostles saying in his own life, because who ever saw his spiritual life and willingness to do good grow when the law of Sinai was proclaimed and pressed home? The louder and clearer the trombone of the law sounds, the more the hearers feel their own poverty and lack of righteousness. The more demanding the law pushes its requirements, the more the hearer is conscientized regarding his sinful being.

We bow down before you, o God and Lord, weighed down by our sin, our anxiety and our desire. Forgive us all our trespasses. Forgive our hastiness with which we have tended to not hear your word and soft-spoken admonition as carefully and attentively as we should have. Take all guilt away from our soul. We seek your grace and forgiveness. Grant peace to our hearts o Father. You know what is good for us. You see to it that you don’t load up burdens too heavy for us. Enter the fray of our thoughts, where we accuse and excuse ourselves, and grant to us, who don’t even understand ourselves, gracious pardon and rest. Show us that, which is needful and grant to us that peace that the world does not know. Amen. (Arper-Zillessen)  

All civil and legal righteousness is of no avail to reach the heavenly goal. Trusting our own endeavours, we are lastly but shamed and disappointed. The work of Jesus Christ alone saves me and all, who believe and are baptized. (Johann Heermann, 1585-1647)  

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Thursday after the thirteenth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 310 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.