I recently read an article in which Martin Luther's theology was painted as discounting “good works” as necessary for a Christian. While the author was correct that Luther did not believe good works were necessary for Salvation, his characterization of Luther as proposing a doctrine of “cheap grace” is not accurate.
The point that Dr. Luther repeatedly made in his writings is that Salvation was solely the work of Jesus in his life, death and resurrection. He points to several places in the Scriptures to validate this point. Primarily in Romans 4:13-16
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
and Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Luther was also very critical of the author of the Book of James in the New Testament. Like most instances when Luther criticized something, he generally went too far (we Lutherans understand this about Luther and acknowledge those times he was too critical or even simply wrong). Understanding Luther's penchant for harsh criticism makes it easy to miss his primary point about the writer of James:
“In a word, he wanted to guard against those who relied on faith without works...” (Martin Luther's Preface to the Epistles of St. James 1522)
This being his primary point then allows us to move to Luther's other writings in which he discusses the importance of good works for a Christian. In the Smalcad Articles Luther writes:
“What I have hitherto and constantly taught concerning this I know not how to change in the least, namely, that by faith, as St. Peter says, we acquire a new and clean heart, and God will and does account us entirely righteous and holy for the sake of Christ, our Mediator. And although sin in the flesh has not yet been altogether removed or become dead, yet He will not punish or remember it.”
“And such faith, renewal, and forgiveness of sins is followed by good works. And what there is still sinful or imperfect also in them shall not be accounted as sin or defect, even [and that, too] for Christ's sake; but the entire man, both as to his person and his works, is to be called and to be righteous and holy from pure grace and mercy, shed upon us [unfolded] and spread over us in Christ. Therefore we cannot boast of many merits and works, if they are viewed apart from grace and mercy, but as it is written, 1 Cor. 1:31: He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord, namely, that he has a gracious God. For thus all is well. We say, besides, that if good works do not follow, faith is false and not true.” (Part III, Article XIII. How One is Justified before God, and of Good Works.)
It is out of this love and appreciation of Christ that we Lutherans try to fulfill the good works God places before us with the help of the Holy Spirit, as written in Paul's follow up point in 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.
As Luther writes:
“Here we see that all works and things are free to a Christian through his faith; and yet, because the others do not yet believe, he observes and bears with them what he is not obligated to do. But this he does freely, for he is certain that this is pleasing to God, and he does it willingly, accepts it as any other free work which comes to his hand without his choice, because he desires and seeks no more than that he may in his faith do works to please God.” (Dr. Martin Luther's Treatise on Good Works 1520)
Dr. Luther's point was never to discount works as necessary for a Christian, it was to give Jesus all of the credit and praise for his sacrifice on the Cross for us. It is simply acknowledging the love and care God has for us and not discounting it in any measure. It is out of the appreciation for this Grace that has been poured on us through our Baptism that we desire to do the good works God has placed before us. That is the essence of the freedom and peace that Jesus grants. In the end, we are like the sinful woman in Luke 7.
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
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