What Binds the Law?

The law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
ROMANS 8:2
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What Binds the Law?
And this statement of Paul's, "I through the Law died to the Law," is full of comfort. . .. Then, when the Law accuses and manifests his sin, his conscience immediately says: "You have sinned." If now you hold to what Paul, the apostle of Christ, teaches here, you will reply: "It is true. I have sinned." "Then God will punish and damn you." "No." "But that is what the Law of God says." "I have nothing to do with this Law." "Why is that?" "Because I have another Law, one that strikes this Law dumb. I am referring to liberty." "What liberty?" "That of Christ, for through Christ I am liberated from the Law." Therefore the Law which is and remains a Law for the wicked is liberty for me, and it binds the Law that damns me. Thus the Law that once bound me and held me captive is now bound and held captive by grace or liberty, which is now my Law. The accusing Law now hears this Law say: "You shall not bind this man, hold him captive, or make him guilty. But I will hold you captive and tie your hands, lest you hurt him who now lives to Christ and is dead to you."

From Lectures on Galatians (1535) (Luther's Works 26:161)
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