Catechesis: Law and Gospel

For since the proclamation of the law alone, without Christ, either makes presumptuous people, who believe that they can fulfill the law with their outward works, or drives people into total despair, Christ took the law into his own hands and interpreted it spiritually. He thus revealed his “wrath from heaven” upon all sinners and how great it is. This wrath directs sinners to the law, and only from it do they really learn to recognize their sins. Moses would never have been able to wring this kind of recognition of sin out of them.—FC SD V:10.