For God’s Glory

The second work, next to faith, is the work of the Second Commandment, that we shall honor God’s Name and not take it in vain. This, like all the other works, cannot be done without faith; and if it is done without faith, it is all sham and show.

A Treatise on Good Works, by Dr. Martin Luther, 1520

Luther is developing his treatise by working through the Ten Commandments – good works are to be found here and built on these. In this second commandment, he offers that the higher and better good work is done when honoring God’s name not for show, but humbly and faithfully.

In a poor man, we do not see good works, yet in the privacy of his home he joyfully praises God when he fares well, and humbly calls His name when he is ill. This as opposed to the “high, petty, shining works of men’s devising,” or of works that superficially look like good works are done without faith.

Therefore the second work of this Commandment is, to be on one’s guard, to flee from and to avoid all temporal honor and praise, and never to seek a name for oneself, or fame and a great reputation, that everyone sing of him and tell of him; which is an exceedingly dangerous sin, and yet the most common of all, and, alas! little regarded.

The world is poisoned with the opposite – strive after praise and honor; work for the world’s power and worth.

Some think it is good for young people that they be enticed by reputation and honor, and again by shame of and dishonor, and so be induced to do good.

This vice must be rid – and Luther describes this ridding as a good work. Our purpose must be something higher: fear of God, faith in Him and love toward Him.

…a man trust not in his own honor, nor exalt himself above the most incapable, despised man on earth, but acknowledge himself a servant of God, Who has given him the honor in order that with it he may serve God and his neighbor, just as if He had commanded him to distribute some gulden to the poor for His sake.

Our light is to shine before men, not for our praise, but so they see through us our Father and God in heaven – that God is glorified.

The third work of this Commandment is to call upon God’s Name in every need. … if no other work were commanded, would not prayer alone suffice to exercise the whole life of man in faith?

We see many such examples of this in the Psalms.

For, indeed, the Christian Church on earth has no greater power or work than such common prayer against everything that may oppose it.

There are examples of prayer in Abraham and Elijah, exhortations to prayer in James. In Jesus life, prayer was regular and even all-consuming at times.

Then go forward into the Second Table of the Commandments, and see how disobedient you have been and still are toward father and mother and all in authority; how you sin against your neighbor with anger, hatred and evil words; how you are tempted to unchastity, covetousness and injustice in word and deed against your neighbor; and you will doubtless find that you are full of all need and misery, and have reason enough to weep even drops of blood, if you could.

Conclusion

This work by Luther has given me something to think about. His entire scope of good works, at least as presented here, is derived from obedience to the Ten Commandments. On the one hand, as he makes clear: there is plenty here for us to obey – a lifetime of opportunity for growth. On the other hand, there is so much more we are taught about good works in Scripture: care for the poor, the widow, the orphan; raising alms for the work of the church; charity is all it forms – love. Things like this.

I don’t want to too easily dismiss Luther on this topic, yet for me the idea of good works cannot end here.

Ephesians 2: 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Is Paul speaking of only the Ten Commandments? He writes elsewhere of much else when it comes to good works. Now, perhaps, whatever else he writes about can be somehow made to fit within one of the ten? I don’t know.

Jesus was asked the greatest commandment:

Matthew 22: 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Perhaps the Ten Commandments captures this: love God is found in the first table of the Decalogue, love your neighbor in the second. But Jesus’s summary and Paul’s teaching make it much easier for me to understand the idea that God prepared beforehand good works for me – individualized, personal. We can understand this is what Paul means, as he describes elsewhere the different gifts each part of the body brings to the whole.

So, yes. Luther makes a good point focusing on the Ten Commandments – that there is much here with which to occupy ourselves. But for me, something is missing.