Of Faith and Works

AELW 9:184-85

"First and foremost, the Prophet of whom Moses speaks here must be heard; that is, our salvation begins, not with any work of ours but with the hearing of the Word of life. Hence also the Law precedes, to humble, to reveal sin, and to teach that we can do nothing by our own strength. Rom. 4:15: “The Law brings wrath,” and brings it so completely that the people not only do not do the Law but will not even hear it, for it kills them. For this reason they seek another Word, one which can make us alive before we do any works, as you have seen here. Through the hearing of the Word the Holy Spirit is given; by faith He purifies the heart. Rom. 10:17: “Faith comes from what is heard,” not indeed to all who hear but to whom God wills. For the Spirit blows where He wills (John 3:8), not where we will. But when the Holy Spirit is received by faith, then we are justified by Him without any work of our own, only by the gift of God, and we experience peace and a good conscience toward God (Rom. 5:1), and joyfully and confidently we cry: “Abba, Father” (Rom. 8:15). Now there is no more fear or slavish flight from the face of the wrath of God; there is childlike access to God through grace, in which we stand and boast (Rom. 5:2–3).

But when the heart is inwardly justified and at peace through faith in the Spirit, then outward actions soon follow in various ways. First there is confession by the mouth to salvation (Rom. 10:10), and the Word is outwardly preached. By this we are inwardly saved, and others are saved through us, just as we are saved through those before us, that the kingdom of Christ may increase. This is the source of persecution, the cross, and trouble over the Word in the world, which hates light and life because it loves darkness (John 3:19). Thus faith is tested and perfected till hope is made perfect, which makes us sure of our salvation. Secondly, that old man of ours in whom there are the remnants of sin which fight against the Spirit with the law in his members (Rom. 7:23), is attacked, so that we do not do what the Spirit wishes. Here the mortification of the flesh takes place. Thirdly, good works are produced, witnesses of faith and the Spirit toward one’s neighbor in love, kindness, peace, goodness, etc. (Gal. 5:22). This is the summary and the true order of Christian life, which depends on the Word and begins with it, and extends to the works of love toward one’s neighbor."