De Bonis Operibus
False Charges and Forgotten Faith
The reformers reject the charge of forbidding good works and recall how preaching once neglected faith while pressing external, humanly devised works.
Our people are falsely accused of forbidding good works. For their own writings that are available on the Ten Commandments, and other similar topics, bear witness that they have usefully taught about all the different walks of life and the duties attached to them — specifically, what kinds of lives and what works are pleasing to God in any given calling. On these matters the preachers formerly taught very little, and instead pressed only childish and unnecessary works — set feast days, set fasts, fraternities, pilgrimages, the veneration of the saints, rosaries, monastic life, and the like. Once they were warned about this, our opponents now back away from these works and no longer preach them with the same fervor as before. Furthermore, they are even beginning to mention faith — a matter about which they formerly kept a remarkable silence. They teach that we are justified not by works alone, but they join faith and works together, and say that we are justified by faith and works. This teaching is more bearable than their former one, and it can offer more consolation than their old doctrine did.
Restoring Faith to Its Place
Because teaching about faith has long been silent in the churches, the reformers have now instructed believers about faith.
So then, since the teaching about faith—which ought to hold the chief place in the Church—has lain unknown for so long (as everyone must confess), and there has been the deepest silence in our sermons about the righteousness that comes from faith, while only the teaching about works has been discussed in the Church, our people have now instructed the churches about faith in this way.
Grace Received Through Christ Alone
Works cannot reconcile God; forgiveness and justification come only by faith in Christ, so trusting in works rejects Christ’s way.
First of all, since our works cannot reconcile God, or earn the forgiveness of sins and grace and justification, but we obtain these only by faith, believing that through Christ we are received into grace — Christ, who alone has been made mediator and atoning sacrifice, through whom the Father is reconciled to us. So then, anyone who trusts in works to earn grace is rejecting Christ's merit and grace, and is seeking a way to God without Christ by human strength — even though Christ himself has said, I am the way, the truth, and the life.
Paul’s Testimony of Grace
Paul teaches everywhere, especially in Ephesians, that believers are saved by grace through faith, not by works.
This teaching about faith is treated everywhere in Paul, in Ephesians. 2. By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not from works, etc.✦
Grace Confirmed by the Fathers
Augustine and Ambrose defend grace and faith against merit, showing that justification is God’s gift, not human wage.
And so no one can claim we're making up a new interpretation of Paul, because this whole case has the testimonies of the Fathers to back it up. For Augustine defends grace and the justice of faith against the merits of works in many volumes. And Ambrose teaches similar things about the calling of the Gentiles, and elsewhere as well. For this is what he says about the calling of the Gentiles: "The redemption by Christ's blood would become cheap, and the prerogative of God's mercy would yield to human works, if justification—which comes through grace—were owed to preceding merits, so that it would not be the gift of the giver, but the wage of the worker."1
Peace for Terrified Consciences
Faith brings consolation to anxious consciences, yet the unlearned mistake Christian righteousness for merely civil or philosophical righteousness.
Although this teaching is looked down on by the unlearned, yet devout and anxious consciences experience it as bringing the greatest consolation, because consciences cannot be made calm through any works, but only by faith, when they are firmly convinced that on account of Christ they have God reconciled to them. As Paul teaches in Romans 5. Justified through faith, we have peace with God.✦ This whole teaching must be brought to bear on the struggle of a terrified conscience, and without that struggle, it can't be understood. That's why unlearned and worldly people judge this matter badly, since they imagine that Christian justice is nothing other than civil and philosophical justice.
Why Faith Must Be Taught
Because consciences were once driven into monasteries or works by fear, teaching faith in Christ is necessary so terrified hearts may find consolation.
At one time consciences were tormented by the teaching of works and heard no consolation from the Gospel. Conscience drove some into the desert, into monasteries, hoping that there they would merit grace through the monastic life. Others devised other works to merit grace and make satisfaction for sins. So it was all the more necessary to hand down and renew this teaching about faith in Christ, so that fearful consciences would not be left without consolation, but would know that through faith in Christ, grace, the forgiveness of sins, and justification are received.
Faith That Trusts Forgiveness
Christian faith is not mere historical knowledge, but trust in the forgiveness of sins received through Christ.
People are also warned that this word, faith, doesn't mean only a knowledge of history, such as even the ungodly and the devil possess, but means a faith that trusts not only the history but also the effect of that history—namely, this article: the forgiveness of sins—that through Christ we have grace, righteousness, and the forgiveness of sins.
Those Who Know God Call Upon Him
Those who know they have a gracious Father through Christ truly know God and call on Him, whereas the godless cannot believe forgiveness and hate God.
Anyone who knows that through Christ they have a Father who is gracious toward them truly knows God, knows they matter to him, and calls upon him. In a word, such a person is not without God like the nations are. For the devil and the godless cannot believe this article: the forgiveness of sins. Therefore they hate God as an enemy, they do not call upon him, and they expect nothing good from him. Augustine also instructs and teaches the reader about the word faith in this way: in Scripture the name faith is taken not for the kind of knowledge found in the godless, but for the trust that consoles and raises up terrified minds.
Faith, the Spirit, and True Obedience
Good works are done not to earn grace but because of God’s will, as the Holy Spirit renews hearts through faith, enabling obedience.
Furthermore, our people teach that it is necessary to do good works, not so that we would trust in them to earn grace, but because of God's will. Forgiveness of sins and grace are received only through faith. And because the Holy Spirit is received through faith, hearts are now renewed and take on new dispositions, so that they can be obedient to good works. For Ambrose puts it this way: Faith is the mother of a good will and of right action. For without the Holy Spirit, human strength is filled with ungodly dispositions and is weaker than it would need to be to accomplish good works before God. Besides this, they are under the power of the devil, who drives people toward various sins, ungodly opinions, and open crimes. It is plain to see this in the philosophers, who themselves attempted to live honorably, yet still could not pull it off, but were stained by many obvious crimes. That is how weak a person is when he is without faith and without the Holy Spirit, and governs himself by human strength alone.
Without Faith, Nothing
Faith does not forbid good works but makes them possible, since without faith no one can truly keep God’s commandments or do anything acceptable to Him.
From this it's easy to see that this teaching shouldn't be accused of forbidding good works — it should much rather be praised, because it shows how we can do good works. For without faith, human nature can in no way do the works of the first or second commandment. Without faith, a person doesn't call on God, expects nothing from God, and can't endure the cross — instead, they look for human protections and put their trust in them. That's how all desires and human plans reign in the heart when faith and trust in God are absent. That's also why Christ said, 'Without me you can do nothing' (John 15:5).✦ 15. And the Church sings: 'Without your divine power, there is nothing in man — nothing that is innocent.'
Read the original Latin
Falso accusantur nostri, quod bona opera prohibeant. Nam scripta eorum, quae exstant de decem praeceptis, et alia simili argumento, testantur, quod utiliter docuerint de omnibus vitae generibus et officiis, quae genera vitae, quae opera in qualibet vocatione Deo placeant. De quibus rebus olim parum docebant Concionatores, tantum puerilia et non necessaria opera urgebant, ut certas ferias, certa ieiunia, fraternitates, peregrinationes, cultus Sanctorum, rosaria, monachatum et similia. Haec adversarii nostri admoniti nunc dediscunt, nec perinde praedicant haec inutilia opera, ut olim. Praeterea incipiunt etiam fidei mentionem facere, de qua olim mirum erat silentium. Docent nos non tantum operibus iustificari, sed coniungunt fidem et opera, et dicunt nos fide et operibus iustificari. Quae doctrina tolerabilior est priore, et plus afferre potest consolationis, quam vetus ipsorum doctrina.
Cum igitur doctrina de fide, quam oportet in Ecclesia praecipuam esse, tam diu iacuerit ignota, quemadmodum fateri omnes necesse est, de fidei iustitia altissimum silentium fuisse in concionibus, tantum doctrinam operum versatam esse in Ecclesia, nostri de fide sic admonuerunt Ecclesias.
Principio, quod opera nostra non possint reconciliare Deum, aut mereri remissionem peccatorum, et gratiam et iustificationem, sed hanc tantum fide consequimur, credentes quod propter Christum recipiamur in gratiam, qui solus positus est mediator et propitiatorium, per quem reconcilietur Pater. Itaque qui confidit operibus, se mereri gratiam, is aspernatur Christi meritum et gratiam, et quaerit sine Christo humanis viribus viam ad Deum, cum Christus de se dixerit, Ego sum via, veritas et vita.
Haec doctrina de fide ubique in Paulo tractatur Ephes. 2. Gratia salvi facti estis per fidem, et hoc non ex vobis, Dei donum est, non ex operibus, etc.
Et ne quis cavilletur, a nobis novam Pauli interpretationem excogitari, tota haec causa habet testimonia Patrum. Nam Augustinus multis voluminibus defendit gratiam et iustitiam fidei contra merita operum. Et similia docet Ambrosius de vocatione Gentium, et alibi. Sic enim inquit de vocatione Gentium, Vilesceret redemptio sanguinis Christi, nec misericordiae Dei humanorum operum praerogativa succumberet, si iustificatio, quae fit per gratiam, meritis praecedentibus deberetur, ut non munus largientis, sed merces esset operantis.
Quanquam autem haec doctrina contemnitur ab imperitis, tamen experiuntur piae ac pavidae conscientiae, plurimum eam consolationis afferre, quia conscientiae non possunt reddi tranquillae per ulla opera, sed tantum fide, cum certo statuunt, quod propter Christum habeant placatum Deum. Quemadmodum Paulus docet Rom. 5. Iustificati per fidem, pacem habemus apud Deum. Tota haec doctrina, ad illud certamen perterrefactae conscientiae referenda est, nec sine illo certamine intelligi potest. Quare male iudicant de ea re homines imperiti, et prophani, qui Christianam iustitiam nihil esse somniant, nisi civilem et philosophicam iustitiam.
Olim vexabantur conscientiae doctrina operum, non audiebant ex Evangelio consolationem. Quosdam conscientia expulit in desertum, in monasteria, sperantes ibi se gratiam merituros esse per vitam monasticam. Alii alia excogitaverunt opera, ad promerendam gratiam et satisfaciendum pro peccatis. Ideo magnopere fuit opus, hanc doctrinam de fide in Christum tradere, et renovare, ne deesset consolatio pavidis conscientiis, sed scirent fide in Christum apprehendi gratiam et remissionem peccatorum et iustificationem.
Admonentur etiam homines, quod hic nomen fidei non significet tantum historiae notitiam, qualis est et in impiis et diabolo, sed significet fidem, quae credit non tantum historiam, sed etiam effectum historiae, videlicet, hunc articulum, Remissionem peccatorum, quod videlicet per Christum habeamus gratiam, iustitiam et remissionem peccatorum.
Iam qui scit se per Christum habere propitium Patrem, is vere novit Deum, scit se ei curae esse, invocat eum. Denique non est sine Deo sicut gentes. Nam diaboli et impii non possunt hunc articulum credere, Remissionem peccatorum. Ideo Deum tanquam hostem oderunt, non invocant eum, nihil boni ab eo expectant. Augustinus etiam de fidei nomine hoc modo admonet lectorem et docet in scripturis nomen fidei accipi, non pro notitia, qualis est in impiis, sed pro fiducia quae consolatur et erigit perterrefactas mentes.
Praeterea docent nostri, quod necesse sit bona opera facere, non ut confidamus per ea gratiam mereri, sed propter voluntatem Dei. Tantum fide apprehenditur remissio peccatorum et gratia. Et quia per fidem accipitur Spiritus sanctus, iam corda renovantur, et induunt novos affectus, ut parere bona opera possint. Sic enim ait Ambrosius, Fides bonae voluntatis, et iustae actionis genitrix est. Nam humanae vires, sine Spiritu sancto, plenae sunt impiis affectibus, et sunt imbecilliores quam ut bona opera possint efficere coram Deo. Ad haec, sunt in potestate diaboli, qui impellit homines ad varia peccata, ad impias opiniones, ad manifesta scelera. Quemadmodum est videre in philosophis, qui et ipsi conati honeste vivere, tamen id non potuerunt efficere, sed contaminati sunt multis manifestis sceleribus. Talis est imbecillitas hominis, cum est sine fide et sine Spiritu sancto, et tantum humanis viribus se gubernat.
Hinc facile apparet hanc doctrinam non esse accusandam, quod bona opera prohibeat, sed multo magis laudandam, quod ostendit quomodo bona opera facere possimus. Nam sine fide, nullo modo potest humana natura primi aut secundi praecepti opera facere. Sine fide non invocat Deum, a Deo nihil expectat, non tolerat crucem, sed quaerit humana praesidia, confidit humanis praesidiis. Ita regnant in corde omnes cupiditates, et humana consilia cum abest fides et fiducia erga Deum. Quare et Christus dixit, Sine me nihil potestis facere, Ioan. 15. Et Ecclesia canit, Sine tuo numine, nihil est in homine, nihil est innoxium.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Eph.2.8 — For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
- ↩Rom.5.1 — Therefore, having been justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
- ↩John.15.5 — I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in me, and I in him, this one bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing.
Notes
- 1 ↩The adversative 'ut' (so that... but) structures the logical consequence: if justification were earned, grace would effectively become a wage rather than a gift.
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