Martin Luther: On Christian Freedom
Martin Luther:
"On Christian Freedom"
(1520)
[The translation is by H. Wace and C.A. Buckheim, in First Principles of the Reformation (Philadelphia, 1885); translation based on the Erlangen Edition (1828-70) of Luther’s Collected Works.] Christian faith has appeared to many an easy thing; nay, not a few even reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this they do because they have not made proof of it experimentally, and have never tasted of what efficacy it is. For it is not possible for any man to write well about it, or to understand well what is rightly written, who has not at some time tasted of its spirit, under the pressure of tribulation; while he who has tasted of it, even to a very small extent, can never write, speak, think, or hear about it sufficiently. For it is a living fountain, springing up unto eternal life, as …show more content…
I answer, The Apostle Paul (Rom. I.) explains what it is, namely the Gospel of God, concerning His Son, incarnate, suffering, risen, and glorified through the spirit, the Sanctifier. To preach Christ is to feed the soul, to justify it, to set it free, and to save it, if it believes the preaching. For faith alone, and the efficacious use of the word of God, bring salvation. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. x. 9); and again, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" (Rom. x. 4), and "The just shall live by faith" (Rom. I. 17). For the word of God cannot be received and honored by any works but by faith alone. Hence it is clear that as the soul needs the word alone for life and justification, so it is justified by faith alone, and not by any works. For if it could be justified by any other means, it would have no need of the word, nor consequently of
"On Christian Freedom"
(1520)
[The translation is by H. Wace and C.A. Buckheim, in First Principles of the Reformation (Philadelphia, 1885); translation based on the Erlangen Edition (1828-70) of Luther’s Collected Works.] Christian faith has appeared to many an easy thing; nay, not a few even reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this they do because they have not made proof of it experimentally, and have never tasted of what efficacy it is. For it is not possible for any man to write well about it, or to understand well what is rightly written, who has not at some time tasted of its spirit, under the pressure of tribulation; while he who has tasted of it, even to a very small extent, can never write, speak, think, or hear about it sufficiently. For it is a living fountain, springing up unto eternal life, as …show more content…
I answer, The Apostle Paul (Rom. I.) explains what it is, namely the Gospel of God, concerning His Son, incarnate, suffering, risen, and glorified through the spirit, the Sanctifier. To preach Christ is to feed the soul, to justify it, to set it free, and to save it, if it believes the preaching. For faith alone, and the efficacious use of the word of God, bring salvation. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. x. 9); and again, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" (Rom. x. 4), and "The just shall live by faith" (Rom. I. 17). For the word of God cannot be received and honored by any works but by faith alone. Hence it is clear that as the soul needs the word alone for life and justification, so it is justified by faith alone, and not by any works. For if it could be justified by any other means, it would have no need of the word, nor consequently of