To Increase the Trespass
Via On Being a Theologian of the Cross, pp. 24-25
Thesis I. The law of God, the most salutary doctrine of life, cannot advance humans on their way to righteousness, but rather hinders them.
Theologians are confronted at the start with basic questions about what story they are to tell. Do they tell the story of the law and merit or of the cross? Three things should be noted carefully here that sharpen the paradox. First, in this thesis it is the very law of God himself, “the most salutary doctrine of life,” that is being arraigned, not some lesser or perhaps “natural” law. Second, Luther is here talking about those who stand under the revealed law of God, the people of God, not those “outside.” Third, not only is this law powerless to save, but it actually makes matters worse! It is commonplace among evangelical Christians to believe that we can’t perfectly fulfill the law, but we often try to because we assume that if we only could we would do it. So we believe that we must try to do something at least, and then, it is assumed, Christ will make up for our “shortcomings.” But here is the bombshell: doing the law does not advance the cause of righteousness one whit. It only makes matters worse. Luther’s proof for this is straightforward, from Paul and Augustine:
This is made clear by the Apostle in his letter to the Romans (3[:21]): “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law.” St. Augustine interprets this in his book, The Spirit and the Letter (De Spiritu et Littera): “Without the law, that is, without its support.” In Rom. 5[:20] the Apostle states, “Law intervened, to increase the trespass,” and in Rom. 7[:9] he adds, “But when the commandment came, sin revived.” For this reason he calls the law a law of death and a law of sin in Rom. 8[:2]. Indeed, in 2 Cor. 3[:6] he says, “the written code kills,” which St. Augustine throughout his book, The Spirit and the Letter, understands as applying to every law, even the holiest law of God.
Gustave Dore, "Moses Breaking the Tables of the Law"
