Works of Martin Luther, with Introductions and Notes (Volume II)Luther, Martin
ReligionChristian
Works of Martin Luther, with Introductions and Notes (Volume II)
Luther, Martin
Lutheran Church -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 16th century -- Early works to 1800
Now let us turn to the second part, to the outward man. Here we shall
answer all those who, misled by the word "faith" and by all that has
been said, now say: "If faith does all things and is alone sufficient
unto righteousness, why then are good works commanded? We will take
our ease and do no works, and be content with faith." I answer, Not
so, ye wicked men, not so. That would indeed be proper, if we were
wholly inward and perfectly spiritual men; but such we shall be only
at the last day, the day of the resurrection of the dead. As long as
we live in the flesh we only begin and make some progress in that
which shall be perfected in the future life. For this reason the
Apostle, in Romans viii, calls all that we attain in this he "the
first fruits" of the spirit [Rom. 8:23], because, forsooth, we shall
receive the greater portion, even the fulness of the spirit, in the
future. This is the place for that which was said above, that a
Christian man is the servant of all and made subject to all. For in so
far as he is free he does no works, but in so far as he is a servant
he does all manner of works. How this is possible, we shall see.
[Sidenote: Needs to do Works]
Although, as I have said, a man is abundantly justified by faith
inwardly, in his spirit, and so has all that he ought to have, except
in so far as this faith and riches must grow from day to day even unto
the future he: yet he remains in this mortal life on earth, and in
this life he must needs govern his own body and have dealings with
men. Here the works begin; here a man cannot take his ease; here he
must, indeed, take care to discipline his body by fastings, watchings,
labors and other reasonable discipline, and to make it subject to the
spirit so that it will obey and conform to the inward man and to
faith, and not revolt against faith and hinder the inward man, as it
is the body's nature to do if it be not held in check. For the inward
man, who by faith is created in the likeness of God, is both joyful
and happy because of Christ in Whom so many benefits are conferred
upon him, and therefore it is his one occupation to serve God joyfully
and for naught, in love that is not constrained.
While he is doing this, lo, he meets a contrary will in his own flesh,
which strives to serve the world and to seek its own advantage. This
the spirit of faith cannot tolerate, and with joyful zeal it attempts
to put the body under and to hold it in check, as Paul says in Romans
vii, "I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but I see
another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin" [Rom. 7:22 f.]; and, in
another place, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:
lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be
a castaway," [1 Cor. 9:27] and in Galatians, "They that are Christ's
have crucified the flesh with its lusts." [Gal. 5:24]
[Sidenote: Works do not Justify]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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