Asher K. Sisneros
Western Civilization From 1493
Dr. Thomas E. Woods Jr.
July 25, 2024
Martin Luther was the father of the Reformation. His courageous act of pinning the 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany set a chain reaction of events. Various men including Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, and John Knox built on Luther’s literary works and continued advancing Protestant theological doctrine. One of Luther’s most significant treatises was On the Freedom of a Christian.
Of all his theological beliefs, he is arguably most known for popularizing the phrase “salvation through faith alone.” This is a common phrase and belief among Protestant circles today, but it was not during Luther’s era. The treatise On the Freedom of a Christian focuses on that entire premise: that genuine freedom—the ultimate freedom being freedom from sin in salvation—comes through faith, not works.
Though Luther’s On the Freedom of the Christian argues that salvation only comes through faith, he does not deny the validity of the law. The law is, after all, part of Scripture, and all Scripture is the word of God.1 In Luther’s words:
Meanwhile, it is to be noted that the whole Scripture of God is divided into two parts: precepts and promises. The precepts [laws] certainly teach us what is good, but what they teach is not forthwith done. For they show us what we ought to do, but do not give us the power to do it.2
Luther’s point is that humanity is called to obey the law, and is called to look at the law to acknowledge personal depravity, but cannot keep the law.
The entire premise of this impossible task is for humanity to recognize its need for a Savior, Jesus Christ. To quote Luther again:
As it is said: “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help” (Hosea 13:9)…. For all [laws] are equally impossible of fulfillment by us.3
It is the grand choice between hubris and humility. Some may vainly trust their strength to achieve perfect works—an ambition that is vain beyond doubt because Scripture says that is impossible—but Luther believed the Bible was unequivocally stating that humanity could achieve no self-justification.
Now when a man has through the precepts been taught his own impotence, and becomes anxious by what means he may satisfy the law… then, being truly humbled and brought to nothing in his own eyes, he finds in himself no resource for justification and salvation.4
Towards the end of On the Freedom of a Christian, Luther then ties his arguments together by giving Christians further reason for optimism. Even though it is depressing on the surface to know it is impossible to keep God’s law, Luther addresses the heavenly and temporal rewards for faith, which produces righteousness, not vice versa:
But when God sees that truth is ascribed to Him, and that in the faith of our hearts, He is honored with all the honor of which He is worthy; then in return, He honors us on account of that faith; attributing to us truth and righteousness. For faith produces truth and righteousness, in rendering to God what is His…. Thus He says: “Them that honor Me, I will honor; and them that despise me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Samuel 2:30).5
In other words, righteousness is possible through faith, but faith is the root, and faith is what causes salvation. In this passage, Luther argues that Jesus Christ desires His followers to trust and believe in Him to provide them with salvation.
Thus the believing soul, by the pledge of its faith in Christ, becomes free from all sin, fearless of death, safe from hell, and endowed with the eternal righteousness, life, and salvation of its husband Christ.6
In conclusion, Luther’s treatise On the Freedom of a Christian outlines three major points. The first point is that the law exposes humanity’s depravity and need for a Savior. Acknowledging this truth, they can run speedily into the arms of their Lord for mercy, but trusting in personal strength to achieve salvation through works is impossible. From there, Luther argues that Jesus Christ desires His followers to trust and believe in Him to provide them with salvation. And when they do so, He will glorify them and dress them in garments of truth and righteousness, sanctifying their souls and regenerating their hearts.
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ↩︎
- Martin Luther, On the Freedom of the Christian, (New York, New York: Fordham University) “Internet History Sourcebooks,” ed. Dr. Steven Shoemaker, web. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/luther-freedomchristian.asp ↩︎
- Luther, Freedom of a Christian ↩︎
- Luther, Freedom of a Christian ↩︎
- Luther, Freedom of a Christian ↩︎
- Luther, Freedom of a Christian ↩︎
Asher Sisneros 