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I. A PRIVILEGE.

1. Christ has done for us what we could not do for ourselves.

(1)  Fulfilled the law;

(2)  borne the penalty of its infractions; and thus

(3)  delivered us from its claims.

2. He has secured for us

(1)  pardon,

(2)  acceptance,

(3)  Divine privileges.

II. The ABUSE of this privilege.

1. The legalists nullified it, and thus became sinners by

(1)  sinfully rejecting the only means of salvation;

(2)  seeking justification in that which could only intensify the sense of sin. The Antinomians who made it an encouragement to sin.

III. THE LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES of this abuse.

1. In the case of the legalists: if Christ fails to remove sin and the works of the law are still necessary, then Christ ministers to sin by delusive offers of salvation.

2. In the case of the Antinomians: if justification is only an incentive to presumption, Christ is morally chargeable with its guilt.

IV. THE APOSTLE'S HORROR at this conclusion.

1. It is blasphemous.

2. It is preposterous.

(1)  Justification in Christ is complete and effectual.

(2)  It is the strongest incentive to righteousness (ver. 19).

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KJV: But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

WEB: But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not!