Luther lays down two propositions about spiritual liberty:
1. The Christian is the most free and is subject to none
2. The Christians is the most servitude and is subject to every one
These apparently contradictory statements are found in Paul’s writings.
“Though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all” – 1 Corinthians 9:19
“Owe no man anything, but to love one another” – Romans 13:8
This is seen in Christ himself because love inherently is obedient to the beloved object. Christ, who was subject to none, put himself under the law. Christ was simultaneously free and a servant.
Luther explores this paradox also in the twofold nature of man-spiritual and bodily (2 Cor. 4:16). Scripture calls the spiritual nature as a new man, in contrast to the bodily nature, the old man. Thus in Scripture seemingly contradictory statements can be applied to the same man because in one man there are two men in struggle with one another.
THE INNER MAN
Luther first approaches the inward man, because it is the inward man who becomes justified and free. Nothing that the outward man does (praying, fasting, eating, etc.) can hinder or attain justification. The only thing that obtains justification, life and Christina liberty is the Gospel of Christ (Jn. 11:25, 8:36; Matt. 4:4). Man can survive without anything as long as he has the word of God.
First Virtue of Faith
Faith alone and the use of the word of God bring salvation (Rom. 10:4, 9; Rom. 1:17). The word of God cannot be received by works, but by faith alone. If the soul could be justified through works, there would be no need for the word nor for faith.
Faith cannot consist of works. When you realize the depth of sin (Rom. 3:10-12) you will see that only Christ is sufficient and necessary. Faith can only rule in the inward man (Rom. 10:10). Because it is faith alone that justifies (John 6:27, 29; Mark 6:16), throw away any reliance on works but instead cultivate faith by growing in knowledge of Christ.
How can faith alone justify when the Scriptures continually prescribes works and laws?
The Bible is divided into two parts: precepts and promises. The precepts teach us what is good. Luther uses the example of “Thou shalt not covet.” This precept convicts us all of sin because none of us can help coveting and thus leads us to despair because we find no means within ourselves for justification and salvation. But then here comes the second part of the Bible: the promise. The promises of God give what the precepts demand and fulfill what the law commands. God is the one who commands and delivers the precepts, and He is the one who fulfills what he commands. Thus everything is dependent on faith so that whoever has faith has everything, whoever does not have faith has nothing. And in this way God alone is responsible for salvation (Romans 11:32).
For the Christian, faith is everything and works have no efficacy. If there is no need of works, this means there is no need of the law. If there is no need of the law, the Christian is free from the law (1 Tim 1:9). This is Christian liberty, not that we should live sinful lifestyles, but that there is no need to work for justification and salvation.
Second Virtue of Faith
Luther labels all that he has written previously concerning justification as the first virtue of faith. The second virtue of faith is that faith honors Him that it believes. Faith ascribes to God the reputation of truth and righteousness. Whenever we disbelieve Him, we are insulting His reputation. Thus, when the soul believes the promises of God, it is holding Him to be true and righteous. And when the soul ascribes these attributes to the One in Whom it believes, then it is prepared to do His whole will. This obedience to God’s will is not by works, but by faith alone.
Luther flips this around and also warns us against insulting God by not trusting His promises of justification by faith alone. If we try to rely on our works, it is an insult and calls God a liar. But when God sees us calling him truthful by relying on faith, He also honors us because of that faith and gives us truth and imputed righteousness (1 Sam. 2:30, Rom. 4).
Third Virtue of Faith
The third virtue (or grace) of faith is that faith unites the soul to Christ. Paul reflects this unity in the mystery of marriage, where two become one flesh, so in the same way Christ and the soul are united. Because of this unity, all that we have is claimed by Christ and all that Christ has is claimed by us. If we compare Christ’s possessions with ours, this marriage is much gain, for we gain all Christ’s life, grace, and righteousness, while He takes upon Himself our sin, death and condemnation. Thus, through faith in Christ, the soul is endowed with eternal righteousness, salvation and life of its Husband.
This again shows why faith alone fulfills the law, not any works. For example, the First Commandment being “Thou shalt worship one God only,” can only be fulfilled by faith alone. Why? Because to worship God means to hold Him as true and good. This cannot be done by works, but simply by faith of heart. The commandments are not fulfilled by works, the commandments were fulfilled before any good works and good works follow their fulfillment.
Christ’s Two Offices and Our Own
Luther here further expounds on what Christ possesses and gives to us in unity with Him. He speaks of Christ being both King and Priest and thus we also are kings and priests in Christ (1 Peter 2:9). If you wish to read more on Christ as King and Priest, read page 355.
Regarding kingship, every Christian by faith is lord of all things (Rom. 8:28, 1 Cor. 3:22, 23). This of course does not mean an earthly reign for that is for earthly kings, princes and men. Nor does it mean we are safe from earthly pain for the more Christian a man is, the more suffering he will endure. The liberty and power of Christians lies in that God’s strength is perfected in weakness and that all things work together for the Christian’s salvation. Christians need nothing for faith alone is sufficient.
We are also priests because it is through the priesthood that we can appear before God, to intercede and teach, both functions of the office of priest. Because we are fellow-priests with Him, we can enter with confidence into the presence of God. Unbelievers cannot fill the office of priest for their very prayers are sinful and thus cannot enter the presence of God.
So if we are priests, there is no need for an office of priest. Indeed there are those who are called to be ministers, servants and stewards in the church, which offices that not everyone is called to (1 Cor. 4:1), but “priest,” “clergy,” and “spiritual persons” are misnomers.
Concerning the Preaching of Faith
Preaching should not be simply the teaching of works, life and words of Christ as if a history lesson. Preaching should not be the teaching of laws of men. The goal of preaching should be to promote faith in Christ, so that it is no longer just an object reality but that Jesus is Christ for the individual as well. Faith is produced/maintained when what is preached is 1) why Christ came, 2) what He brought us and gives us, and 3) how it profits us to receive Him. These things are preached when Christian liberty is rightly taught and we are taught that all Christians are kings and priests with Christ and can confidently be in the presence of God.
If we truly take hold of Christian liberty, we appreciate all the more the love of Christ because it could never be attained through the law. We lose our fear of death and the guilt of sin. Christ conquered death and through faith it is in his victory that we conquer.
THE OUTWARD MAN
Now Luther deals with the second proposition, that man is servant and subject of all. In the following part of the essay, he counters the claim that if we are justified by faith alone and works have no effect on that justification, then there is no need to do good work. He begins the exposition by exploring the principle that his second proposition is grounded on.
Man is already justified and his faith will increase day to day until he is glorified. But while he is on earth, he must interact with other men and should rule his body. The inner man, being conformed to the image of God through faith, has one goal and that is to serve God with joy (for no extra profit) in free love. In doing good works, the Christian does not assume that good works make him justified, but desires to do good works out of love and a desire to please God.
Luther gives an example of this: the Garden of Eden. Adam is given the job of caring for the garden (Gen. 2:15), but he is not doing so because he needs to be justified, but simply because he wishes to please God. The work that Adam did in the garden is the same as the good works of a Christian.
Thus good works do not make a Christian more sacred or more of a Christian. “Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works.” “Bad works do not make a bad man, but a bad man does bad works.” We see this in Matthew 7:18, when Christ speaks of good trees and corrupt trees. In the same way, man cannot be justified by works because the works themselves come from what is in the heart. It is good to teach and write about penitence and confession, but one must go on to teach about faith. The law should be taught to bring forth knowledge of sin, but not left there without teaching grace through faith.
The Christian does not live for himself, but for his neighbors. This is why he must reign over his body. Thus a Christian cannot do no good work for his neighbors (Rom. 14:7). Faith working by love occurs when the man becomes a servant voluntarily. This is how the Philippians were made rich by faith in Christ (Phil. 2:1-4). Paul continues in Philippians to speak of Christ becoming a servant although He was not obligated to do so (Phil. 2:5-8). In this way, Christ is our example, that we who are full in abundance through faith and free from any work should renounce this liberty and do good works for our neighbors. From faith comes love and joy in Christ, and from this love comes a willing spirit of servitude for Christ himself became a servant.
Luther expounds on this idea of serving others instead of self in the example of Paul. Paul circumcised Timothy although it was not needed for justification, but did so to not offend the Jews who were weak in faith. But Paul refused to circumcise Titus because he resisted hardened self-justifiers who despised the liberty of faith. In the same way, Jesus voluntarily paid the tax although it was not necessary.
“For the Christian freeman will speak thus: I will fast, I will pray, I will do this or that which is commanded me by men, not as having any need of these things for justification or salvation, but that I may thus comply with the will of the Pope, of the bishop, of such a community or such a magistrate, or of my neighbor as an example to him; for this cause I will do and suffer all things, just as Christ did and suffered much more for me, though He needed not at all to do so on His own account, and made Himself for my sake under the law, when He was not under the law. And although tyrants may do me violence or wrong in requiring obedience to these things, yet it will not hurt me to do them, so long as they are not done against God (p. 371).”
Good works are not for justification! They are for service to our neighbors and mortifying sin, both of which are pleasing to God. If work is for anything but these ends, it is the crushing of Christian liberty. But remember that with those of weak faith we must not practice our liberty in fear of offending them, but in the presence of those who are legalistic, practice liberty so that they may see the error of their ways. In this way, we must walk between two extremes: of those who abuse this concept of Christian liberty and those who are legalists. Thus works should not be condemned, but belief in works should be.
Source Information
Publication: The Harvard Classics, p. 336-378
Date of Publication: 1520 [Martin Luther], 1910 [The Harvard Classics]
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