律法讓人認識到自己無能
誡命只能使人認識到自己的無能，因為人如果認真地，試圖從內心起遵循律法，就知道自己不能滿足律法的要求。律法只教人認識自己：無能為善，乃是一個不折不扣的罪人。人就會對自己的能力絕望，因為認識到自己沒有能力。
律法讓誠實的罪人變得真正的謙卑，他在自己的眼中不值一文，因為他發現自己沒有辦法藉著律法稱義。
上帝命定一切，成全一切，所以，祂擁有一切
人不能靠自己的能力成全的律法，只能由上帝成全。
唯有上帝命令一切律法。祂頒布一切律法，卻沒有人可以成全。所以，也唯有上帝自己才可以成全。基督代替人成全了這一切律法的要求。正如祂在馬太福音5:17說：莫想我來要廢掉律法和先知；我來不是要廢掉，乃是要成全。基督成全了一切，所以，祂擁有一切：聖潔、真實、公義、平安、喜樂、和一切的美善。
福音就是：上帝願意把祂擁有的一切賜予人
凡信此為真的人，就從上帝的手中接納了上帝所賜的一切。而人的信心就是接納的手。沒有信心的人不能接納他不相信的禮物。惟有相信的人接納了一切，所以他擁有一切。
信福音的人擁有一切福氣，不信的人一無所有。（摘錄於《基督徒的自由》AE 31:348-49，有修改）
Whoever has faith will have everything,
whoever does not have faith will have nothing.
Now when a man has learned through the commandments to recognize his helplessness and is distressed about how he might satisfy the law—since the law must be fulfilled so that not a jot or tittle shall be lost, otherwise man will be condemned without hope—then, being truly humbled and reduced to nothing in his own eyes, he finds in himself nothing whereby he may be justified and saved. Here the second part of Scripture comes to our aid, namely, the promises of God which declare the glory of God, saying, 「If you wish to fulfill the law and not covet, as the law demands, come, believe in Christ in whom grace, righteousness, peace, liberty, and all things are promised you. If you believe, you shall have all things; if you do not believe, you shall lack all things.」 That which is impossible for you to accomplish by trying to fulfill all the works of the law—many and useless as they all are—you will accomplish quickly and easily through faith. God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing. 「For God has consigned all men to disobedience, that he may have mercy upon all,」 as it is stated in Rom. 11[:32]. Thus the promises of God give what the commandments of God demand and fulfill what the law prescribes so that all things may be God’s alone, both the commandments and the fulfilling of the commandments. He alone commands, he alone fulfills. (AE 31:348-49)
