Good works (Theology); Lutheran Church -- Doctrines
This brings us to the end of the fundamental part of the treatise. It
was not Luther's intention, however, to speak only on the essence of
good works and their fundamental relation to faith; he would show, too,
how the "best work," faith, must prove itself in every way a living
faith, according to the other commandments. Luther does not proceed to
this part, however, until in the fundamental part he has said with
emphasis, that the believer, the spiritual man, needs no such
instruction (I. Timothy 1:9), but that he of his own accord and at all
times does good works "as his faith, his confidence, teaches him." Only
"because we do not all have such faith, or are unmindful of it," does
such instruction become necessary.
Nor does he proceed until he has applied his oft repeated words
concerning the relation of faith to good works to the relation of the
First to the other Commandments. From the fact, that according to the
First Commandment, we acquire a pure heart and confidence toward God,
he derives the good work of the Second Commandment, namely, "to praise
God, to acknowledge His grace, to render all honor to Him alone." From
the same source he derives the good work of the Third Commandment,
namely, "to observe divine services with prayer and the hearing of
preaching, to incline the imagination of our hearts toward God's
benefits, and, to that end, to mortify and overcome the flesh." From
the same source he derives the works of the Second Table.
The argument on the Third and Fourth Commandments claims nearly
one-half of the entire treatise. Among the good works which, according
to the Third Commandment, should be an exercise and proof of faith,
Luther especially mentions the proper hearing of mass and of preaching,
common prayer, bodily discipline and the mortification of the flesh,
and he joins the former and the latter by an important fundamental
discussion of the New Testament conception of Sabbath rest.
Luther discusses the Fourth Commandment as fully as the Third. The
exercise of faith, according to this Commandment, consists in the
faithful performance of the duties of children toward their parents, of
parents toward their children, and of subordinates toward their
superiors in the ecclesiastical as well as in the common civil sphere.
The various duties issue from the various callings, for faithful
performance of the duties of one's calling, with the help of God and
for God's sake, is the true "good work."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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