The Freedom of a Christian and Treatise on Good Works

Abstract

These two essays were the first and last of Luther’s 1520 treatises and they reveal the spirit behind the writings. In them, Luther gives a clear exposition on the Christian life and the relationship between faith and good works. Contrary to the teachings of the Roman Church of his day, Luther shows how Scripture teaches that people need not perform extraordinary acts of religious devotion to be saved, but rather that Christ saves them by grace through faith. In response to those who perceive this emphasis on grace as antinomian, Luther also emphasizes that, in Christ, God defines what it means to obey and serve him. Good works are the necessary consequence of faith in the heart that lives for the praise of God and for the benefit of neighbor. Only by grace can people live in true freedom and truly serve their Savior-God and their fellow human beings.