Martin Luther's Definition of Faith:
An excerpt from
"An Introduction to St. Paul 's Letter to the Romans,"
Luther's German Bible of 1522
by Martin Luther, 1483-1546
Translated by Rev. Robert E. Smith
from DR. MARTIN LUTHER'S VERMISCHTE DEUTSCHE SCHRIFTEN.
Johann K. Irmischer, ed. Vol. 63
(Erlangen: Heyder and Zimmer, 1854), pp.124-125. [EA 63:124-125]
August 1994
Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they speak and hear much about faith. ``Faith is not enough,'' they say, ``You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.'' They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, ``I believe.'' That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn't come from this `faith,' either.
I assume that he is directing this to Catholics. If so, this is a gross caricature of what we believe. We do not believe that we can create any works, even a thankful heart, by our own strength. We cannot do anything without the grace of God.
Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone
asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are.
Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many words.
Most of what Luther writes in the above paragraph a Catholic would agree. But not this statement: “Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing” If works were so automatic, then all a preacher would have to say is “believe in Christ” and all else will follow. But I never heard a Protestant preacher ever preaching that way. For instance, I have heard many a minister preach to his flock that they must tithe. But if all they need to do is have faith and works would then come constantly, without anyone asking, then why does the minister ask his flock to put more in the offering? Why does a minister tell his congregation to live for God? Would this not be automatic if a person believes?
Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it.
This is why I think Luther’s gospel is far more legalistic than the Catholic gospel. Tell me I must not have unconfessed mortal sin in order to be saved. Tell that I must go to church on the Lord’s day in order to be saved. Tell me I must not kill anyone, or cheat on my wife, in order to be saved. But for heaven’s sake, please do not tell me that I must be so certain of God’s favor that I would risk death a thousand times in order to saved!
Since I was a Protestant for twelve years, I know how many Christians are shaking in their shoes because they know that they do not have this bold trust in God’s grace that Luther preached about. They talk about their absolute certainty of their salvation when they are with Catholics. But privately they have confided in me that they are afraid that they may not be one of God’s elect. They are afraid that their born-again experience was a false conversion.
At least the Catholic Church accepts that my faith and my works can be far from perfect and still go to heaven. But Luther sees that my faith must be perfect in order to heaven to heaven.
This contradicts the teaching of Christ. Jesus said that our faith can be small enough as a mustard seed to be sufficient. A man with doubts once said to Jesus “I believe, help thou my unbelief!” Even Jesus Himself said to the Father “My God, My God! Why hast thou forsaken me?”
We do not need to be super-believers in order to be saved. God know we are frail. I do not need to have “bold trust” in God’s grace. I only need a humble reliance on His mercy. And sometimes my confidence is there, and sometimes it is just a mustard seed.
Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace.
This is why I met so many Christians with smiley faces in Protestant church. They would say “Praise the Lord!” in every other sentence. But deep down they were hurting. If they admit their hurts, that that means they are not saved. So they must pretend that they are happy and joyful all the time.
But the Catholic gospel makes us be honest with ourselves and with others. We can admit that we are hurting, that we not always joyful. We can even admit that we have doubts. As St. John of the Cross would say, we can admit that we experiencing the dark night of the soul. This does not mean God has abandoned us. God is telling us “Will you still follow me? Will you still go to church? Will you still pray? Will you still love Me and others because of Me?” It pleases God that we still seek to please Him even when we do not have bold confidence in His grace and we are not happy.
Good works do not automatically follow faith. And that is great news. It means that a person who may be struggling with sin may have true faith, but he must work on his sins. Only by the grace of God can overcome his sin, but he must still work at it. There is an old Catholic saying: When you pray, pray as if it all depends on God. And when you work, work as if it all depends on you.
Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they're smart enough to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools. Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do.
Here Luther contradicts himself. He encourages us to pray. I agree we should all pray, especially for an increase in faith. But he just wrote that works will automatically follow faith. But is not prayer a work. Is it not an activity? So then why does Luther command us to pray? According to Luther would prayer not be automatic from the man who has faith?
Ah, give me that old time gospel – the one that stood the test for 2,000 years! Not one started by Luther 500 years ago. Although the Catholic sees that salvation is by faith and works, he is free to admit when he is depressed, or when he has doubts. The Catholic Church teaches that because of our fallen nature that Original Sin has affected both our faith and works. Our works can never be perfect, but neither can our faith be perfect. Faith is not perfect boldness in God’s grace, but a humble acceptance of what God has revealed to us about Himself in spite of any feelings of doubt we may have.
