The Necessary Foundation

For the greatest of all questions has been raised, the question of Good Works; in which is practised immeasurably more trickery and deception than in anything else, and in which the simpleminded man is so easily misled that our Lord Christ has commanded us to watch carefully for the sheep’s clothings under which the wolves hide themselves.

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

This opening line could be taken as a shot by Luther against the Roman Catholic Church, and he likely meant it this way. But I include it here because it is just as true today as it was then – and I am not speaking in any denominational sense or in the case for or against any one tradition.

There are preachers and teachers of all stripes that preach and teach a wide range of possibilities on this topic: from works-righteousness (although they will use different terminology) to a lack of necessity of good works (but here, using practically exactly this terminology). Sure, one extreme may be found more in one tradition than in another, but both sides are “trickery and deception.”

As I have made clear, what has driven me to this study is the lack of teaching on the necessity of good works in many Protestant environments.

In any case…Luther begins this treatise with a recognition that the understanding of works in relation to salvation is a tricky one, and one subject to being abused by some as a shortcut to salvation.

We ought first to know that there are no good works except those which God has commanded, even as there is no sin except that which God has forbidden.

We have been told the greatest commandment, and the second like unto it: love the Lord your God, love your neighbor as yourself. That pretty much opens up an infinite list of possible good works that are, inherently, commanded by God.

The first and highest, the most precious of all good works is faith in Christ…

Faith is the chief work. Without such faith, good works are not possible.

We find many who pray, fast, establish endowments, do this or that, lead a good life before men, and yet if you should ask them whether they are sure that what they do pleases God, they say, “No”; they do not know, or they doubt.

Without faith in the one He sent this doubt will always exist.

Luther casts a very wide net when it comes to considering the kind of works that can be “good”:

If you ask further, whether they count it also a good work when they work at their trade, walk, stand, eat, drink, sleep, and do all kinds of works for the nourishment of the body or for the common welfare, and whether they believe that God takes pleasure in them because of such works, you will find that they say, “No”; and they define good works so narrowly that they are made to consist only of praying in church, fasting, and almsgiving.

Take care of this body that was given to me by God, and serve my fellow man – whether by my trade or by alms. These are good works, as God has commanded such things.

By my trade… This is something to consider: if I am using my abilities to provide goods and services that others find valuable and willingly pay for; if by doing so, the value of that which I produce is more than the cost it takes to produce it – evidencing the reality that I am stewarding well the resources provided by God, this can be considered a good work.

The purpose, or ends, of such good works is not for the sake of the work, but for the pleasure that comes to me by my pleasing God:

So a Christian who lives in this confidence toward God, knows all things, can do all things, undertakes all things that are to be done, and does everything cheerfully and freely; not that he may gather many merits and good works, but because it is a pleasure for him to please God thereby, and he serves God purely for nothing, content that his service pleases God.

From here, Luther begins with the first of the Ten Commandments, as this is the foundation upon which good works will be built – on this foundation, and not on any other:

Now this is the work of the First Commandment, which commands: “Thou shalt have no other gods,” which means: “Since I alone am God, thou shalt place all thy confidence, trust and faith on Me alone, and on no one else.”

Trust Him wholeheartedly; look to Him for all good, for grace, for favor. Whether in joy or sorrow, trust Him completely. It is from this commandment that all other commandments proceed, therefore, without the good work of living by this commandment, there is no possibility of good works. If this chief work is not present, all works are a sham, a pretense. It is only such faith that makes works righteous, that makes works good.

To the challenge that Luther is preaching faith alone (without works), he retorts with an example:

… it is as if I said to a sick man: “If you had health, you would have the use of all your limbs; but without health, the works of all your limbs are nothing”; and he wanted to infer that I had forbidden the works of all his limbs; whereas, on the contrary, I meant that he must first have health, which will work all the works of all the members.

First have health (faith), then your limbs can properly work. Without such health, of what use are your limbs?

Conclusion

Such faith is a work completely unlike any other work – it is a work of its own kind. In my words, the foundational work without which any other good work is not possible; in Luther’s words, a work above all other works:

Without doubt faith does not come from your works or merit, but alone from Jesus Christ, and is freely promised and given … Faith, therefore, does not begin with works, neither do they create it, but it must spring up and flow from the blood, wounds and death of Christ.