Life, Liberty, and Luther
Since the Helwys Society Forum’s beginning, we have sought to encourage Christians to engage with the greater Christian tradition. Serious theological is reflection both concerned about the Church’s present as well as her past. For this reason, though there are many who deserve our attention, four figures will be examined this month: Martin Luther, Abraham Kuyper, C. S. Lewis, and Francis Schaeffer. We intend not only to introduce these figures, but also to highlight their Reformational thought.
Among these four men, no other figure in the Protestant Church has been more iconic than Martin Luther. Practically the father of the Protestant Reformation, Luther’s writings have made a colossal impact on all Christian movements Protestant and Catholic alike. His writings provided strong rebukes and harsh criticisms of Roman Catholicism while also establishing the foundation of Protestant theology as we know it today.
Of all his works, no other writing best encompasses his entire thought more than On Christian Liberty. Both thoughtful and provocative, Luther’s discourse on Christian liberty shows how this process unfolds in the Christian life. The main premise of the book is found in one paradoxical idea: “A Christian is a perfectly free Lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant to all, subject to all.”
Here we will examine how Luther explains this statement in relation to the Christian life. Then we will evaluate contemporary Christian culture in light of Luther’s argument.
Free From Bondage, Subject to None
Luther begins by explaining the first part of his thesis. He highlights the differences between the inner and outer man: the inner man being the spiritual person, and the outer man the fleshy person. Luther notes that sin enslaves all who do not believe in Jesus Christ, placing us captive under the law. Luther states, “What can it profit a soul if the body is well, free, and active, and eats, drinks and does as it pleases? For in these respects even the most godless slaves of vice may prosper” [1]. Sinners can experience bliss yet remain slaves to the flesh. Comfort is not necessarily a sign of God’s favor.
In light of this, we may think that pious acts secure freedom and salvation. Luther rejects this too, however. He states, “It does not help the soul if the body is adorned with the sacred robes of priests or dwells in sacred places or is occupied sacred duties or prays, fasts, abstains from certain kinds of food, or does any work that can be done by the body or in the body” [2]. For Luther, a person’s honorable deeds do not bring freedom either.
If that is the case, then what does? In a word: faith. Luther states, “Therefore it is clear that, as the soul needs only the Word of God for its life and righteousness, so it is justified by faith alone and not any works; for if it could be justified by anything else, it would not need the Word, and consequently it would not need faith” [3]. Again he writes, “Since, therefore, this faith can rule only in the inner man…and since faith alone justifies, it is clear that the inner man cannot be justified, freed or saved by any outer work or action at all” [4]. Man is justified by faith and nothing else.
Luther describes three benefits of faith. First, faith grasps God’s promises, which in turn fulfills the Mosaic law [5]. God both gives and fulfills His commandments. Faith, then, frees us from the burden of the law. Second, faith alone honors God as truthful and righteous. Since “faith works truth and righteousness by giving God what belongs to him,” God in turn honors us as truthful and righteous [6]. Finally, faith weds us to Christ. He takes upon the bride’s qualities (sin and death), while the bride takes upon His qualities (righteousness and life) [7]. In effect, we exchange our iniquity for His glory; He becomes our substitute.
Since the law no longer burdens believers, we become lords instead of slaves. Sin does not bind us to the law any longer. Saving faith enables us to act as both lord and priest. As Luther writes, “This [faith] is the inestimable power and liberty of the Christian” [8].
Servant of All, Subject to Everyone
One question remains, however: If a man is Lord of all, subject to none, then how is he servant of all, subject to everyone? Luther expounds further upon the differences between the inner and outer man further. Though the inner man (the spiritual man) is free from all things, the outer man (the fleshly man) must be kept in submission. He explains:
Since by faith the soul is cleansed and made to love God, it desires that all things, and especially its own body, shall be purified so that all things may join with it in loving and praising God. Hence, a man cannot be idle, for the need of his body drives him and he is compelled to do many good works to reduce it to subjection [9].
Herein lies the importance of works. Though works do not justify us before God, they bring the body into submission as an expression of faith.
Luther understood human depravity’s extent. “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” (Rom. 3:10-11). Since man is dead in his sin, he must be reborn. This is why faith is necessary. Faith sees God alone as her source of salvation. He alone can quicken the dead and raise them to new life in Christ. Thus, Luther concurs with Jesus: “A good tree can not bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear evil fruit” (Mt. 7:18) [10]. Once the person’s nature is changed, then the works will follow.
Furthermore, Christians are called to serve one another in love. The freedom found in Christ provides us with the flexibility to serve others as needed. “Therefore he should be guided in all his works by this thought…that he may serve and benefit others in all that he does, considering nothing except the need and advantage of his neighbor,” says Luther [11]. This is the example of Christ Who, being completely free, bound Himself in service to others and “was made under the law, though he was not under the law” [12]. As Christ gave Himself for our sake, so we too give of ourselves for others’ sake—the ultimate expression of love.
Luther, Christian Liberty, and 21st Century Evangelicals
Where does Luther take us from here? Does our freedom in Christ mean that we are not bound by any earthly constructs or rules? Have evangelicals gotten Luther wrong?
These are particularly important questions. Evangelicalism’s origins emerged out of the Fundamentalist Movement, claiming that much of it was separatistic regarding cultural norms. Evangelicals wanted to engage culture, rather than withdraw from it. But in an effort to distinguish themselves, have evangelicals allowed the pendulum to swing too far in the opposite direction? Have they shied away from all forms and constructs in order to boast in their spiritual maturity?
Luther anticipated such problems. He acknowledged that there would be those who display their freedom by despising particular cultural and religious constructs. Luther’s response is fitting: “Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumptions that justification is acquired by them” [13]. What is the significance of these things, then?
For Luther, they have their place though their significance is temporary. He states:
Ceremonies are to be given the same place in the life of a Christian as models and plans have among builders and artisans. They are prepared, not as permanent structure, but because without them nothing could be built or made. When the structure is complete the models and plans are laid aside [14].
Let’s use prayer to illustrate Luther’s point. Morning prayer may be necessary for young Christians to cultivate a healthy prayer life. As Christians mature, however, morning prayer is less imperative because a more fervent prayer life has developed. Instead, they pray throughout the day, not just in the morning. Now the set time is unnecessary because the discipline is firmly established. On the contrary, the set time becomes more restrictive rather than beneficial.
Ultimately this is an issue of form and content. Do the cultural and religious norms established seem fitting for the situation or person at hand? That’s the question that Luther was getting at, and that’s the question that evangelicals must continue to ask. If we do not, we will have missed Luther’s point entirely.
Christian liberty is not self-centered. Rather, it is clothed in love. Our freedom was given to us for the others’ benefit. Christ frees us so that we are free to love others. We give our neighbor what Christ gave us. That’s the goal of Christian liberty; that’s the goal of the Christian faith.
_______________________________________
[1] Martin Luther, On Christian Liberty, trans. W. A. Lambert, rev. by Harold J. Grimm, (Fortress Press: Minneapolis, 2003), 4.
[2] Ibid., 5.
[3] Ibid., 8
[4] Ibid., 9.
[5] Ibid., 13.
[6] Ibid., 17-18.
[7] Ibid., 19.
[8] Ibid., 27.
[9] Ibid., 36.
[10] Ibid., 39.
[11] Ibid., 48.
[12] Ibid., 59.
[13] Ibid., 65.
[14] Ibid., 72.
Recent Comments