Christian Righteousness

The Argument of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians

First of all it behoveth that we speak of the argument of this Epistle: that is to say, what matter St. Paul here chiefly treateth of. The argument, therefore, is this.

St. Paul goeth about to establish the doctrine of faith, grace, forgiveness of sins, or Christian righteousness, to the end that we may have a perfect knowledge and difference between Christian righteousness and all other kinds of righteousness. For there be divers sorts of righteousness. There is a political or civil righteousness, which emperors, princes of the world, philosophers, and lawyers deal withal. There is also a ceremonial righteousness, which the traditions of men do teach. This righteousness parents and schoolmasters may teach without danger, because they do not attribute unto it any power to satisfy for sin, to please God, or to deserve grace; but they teach such ceremonies as are only necessary for the correction of manners, and certain observations concerning this life. Besides these, there is another righteousness called the righteousness of the law, or of the Ten Commandments, which Moses teacheth. This do we also teach after the doctrine of faith.

There is yet another righteousness which is above all these; to wit, “the righteousness of faith, or Christian righteousness,” the which we must diligently discern from the other afore rehearsed; for they are quite contrary to this righteousness, both because they flow out of the laws of emperors, the traditions of the Pope, and the commandments of God, and also because they consist in our works, and may be wrought of us either by our pure natural strength, as the Papists term it, or else by the gift of God. For these kinds of righteousness are also of the gift of God, like as other good things are which we do enjoy.

But this most excellent righteousness, of faith I mean (which God through Christ, without works, imputelh unto us), is neither political nor ceremonial, nor the righteousness of God’s law, nor consisteth in works, but is clean contrary; that is to say, a mere passive righteousness, as the other above are active. For in this we work nothing, we render nothing unto God, but only we receive and suffer another to work in us, that is to say, God. Therefore, it seemeth good unto me tp call this righteousness of faith, or Christian righteousness, the passive righteousness.

This is a righteousness hidden in a mystery, which the world doth not know ; yea, Christians themselves do not thoroughly understand it, and can hardly take hold of it in their temptations. Therefore, it must be diligently taught and continually practised. And whoso doth not understand or apprehend this righteousness in afflictions and terrors of conscience, must needs he overthrown. For there is no comfort of conscience so firm and so sure as this passive righteousness is.

But man’s weakness and misery is so great, that in the terrors of conscience and danger of death we behold nothing else but our works, our worthiness, and the law; which, when it showeth unto us our sin, by and by our evil life past cometh to remembrance. Then the poor sinner, with great anguish of spirit, groaneth, and thus thinketh with himself: “Alas ! how desperately have I lived ! would to God I might live longer; then would I amend my life.” Thus man’s reason cannot restrain itself from the sight and beholding of this active or working righteousness, that is to say, her own righteousness ; nor lift up her eyes to the beholding of the passive or Christian righteousness, but resteth altogether in the active righteousness; so deeply is this evil rooted in us.

On the other side, Satan, abusing the infirmity of our nature, doth increase and aggravate these cogitations in us. Then can it not be but that the poor conscience must be more grievously troubled, terrified, and confounded. For it is impossible that the mind of man itself should conceive any comfort, or look up unto grace only in the feeling and horror of sin, or constantly reject all disputing and reasoning about works. For this is far above man’s strength and capacity; yea, and above the law of God also. True it is, that of all things in the world, the law is most excellent; yet is it not able to quiet a troubled conscience, but increaseth terrors, and driveth it to desperation ; ” that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.” (Rom. vii. 13.)

Wherefore the afflicted and troubled conscience hath no remedy against desperation and eternal death, unless it take hold of the forgiveness of sins by grace, freely offered in Christ Jesus, that is to say, this ” passive faith or Christian righteousness.” Which if it can apprehend, then may it be at quiet, and boldly say, “I seek not this active or working righteousness ; although I know that I ought to have it, and also to fulfil it. But be it so that I had it, and did fulfil it indeed; yet, notwithstanding, I cannot trust unto it, neither dare I set it against the judgment of God. Thus I abandon myself from all active righteousness, both of mine own and of God’s law, and embrace only that passive righteousness, which is the righteousness of grace, mercy, and forgiveness of sins. Briefly, I rest only upon that righteousness which is the righteousness of Christ and of the Holy Ghost.”

Like as the earth engendereth not rain, nor is able by her own strength, labour, and travail, to procure the same, but receiveth it of the mere gift of God from above; so this heavenly righteousness is given us of God without our works or deservings. Look then how much the earth of itself is able to do in getting and procuring to itself seasonable showers of rain to make it fruitful; even so much, and no more, are we able to do by our strength and works in winning this heavenly and eternal righteousness ; and therefore shall never be able to attain unto it, unless God himself, by mere imputation, and by his unspeakable gift, do bestow it upon us. The greatest knowledge then, and the greatest wisdom of Christians, is not to know the law, to be ignorant of works, and of the whole active righteousness, especially when the conscience wrestleth with the judgment of God. Like as, on the contrary, amongst those which are not of the number of God’s people, the greatest point of wisdom is, to know, and earnestly to urge the law and the active righteousness.

But it is a thing very strange and unknown to the world, to tesch Christians to learn to be ignorant of the law, and so to live before God, as if there were no law ; notwithstanding, except thou be ignorant of the law, and be assuredly persuaded in thine heart that there is now no law nor wrath of God, but altogether grace and mercy for Christ’s sake, thou canst not be saved; for by the law cometh the knowledge of sin. Contrariwise, works and the keeping of the law must be so straitly required in the world, as if there were no promise or grace; and that because of the stdbborn, proud, and hard■hearted, before whose eyes nothing must be set but the law, that they may be terrified and humbled. For the law is given to terrify and kill such, and to exercise the old man ; and both the word of grace and of wrath must be rightly divided according to the Apostle, 2 Tim. ii.

Here is then required a wise and faithful disposer of the word of God, which can so moderate the law, that it may be kept within his bounds. He that teacheth that men are justified before God by the observation of the law, passeth the bounds of the law, and confoundeth these two kinds of righteousness, active and passive, and is but an ill logician, for he doth not rightly divide. Contrariwise, he that setteth forth the law and works to the old man, and the promise of forgiveness of sins and God’s mercy to the new man, divideth the word well. For the flesh or the old man must be coupled with the law and works ; the spirit, or new man, must be joined with the promise of God and his mercy. Wherefore, when I see a man that is bruised enough already, oppressed with the law, terrified with sin, and thirsting for comfort, it is time that I should remove out of his sight the law and active righteousness, and that I should set before him, by the Gospel, the Christian and passive righteousness, which excluding Moses with his law, offereth the promise made in Christ, who came for the afflicted and for sinners. Here is man raised up again, and conceiveth good hope ; neither is he any longer under the law, but under grace. How not under the law ? According to the new man, to whom the law doth not appertain. For the law hath his bounds unto Christ, as Paul saith afterwards: “For Christ is the end of the law” (Rom. x. 4); who being come, Moses ceaseth with his law, circumcision, the sacrifices, the sabbaths ; yea, and all the prophets.

This is our divinity, whereby we teach how to put a difference between these two kinds of righteousness, active and passive, to the end that manners and faith, works and grace, policy and religion, should not be confounded, or taken the one for the other. Both are necessary; but both must be kept within their bounds: Christian righteousness appertaineth to the new man, and the righteousness of the law appertaineth to the old man, which is born of flesh and blood. Upon this old man, as upon an ass, there must be laid a burden that may press him down, and he must not enjoy the freedom of the spirit of grace, except he first put upon him the new man by faith in Christ, which, notwithstanding, is not fully done in this life: then may he enjoy the kingdom and inestimable gift of grace.

This I say, to the end that no man should think we reject or forbid good works, as the Papists do most falsely slander us, neither understanding what they themselves say, nor what we teach. They know nothing but the righteousness of the law, and yet they will judge of that doctrine which is far above the law, of which it is impossible that the carnal man should be able to judge. Therefore they must needs be offended, for they can see no higher than the law. Whatsoever, then, is above the law, is to them a great offence. But we imagine, as it were, two worlds; the one heavenly, and the other earthly. In these we place these two kinds of righteousness, being separate the one far from the other. The righteousness of the law is earthly, and hath to do with earthly things, and by it we do good works. But as the earth bringeth not forth fruit except first it be watered and made fruitful from above ; even so by the righteousness of the law, in doing many things we do nothing, and in fulfilling of the law we fulfil it not, except first, without any merit or work of ours, we be made righteous by the Christian righteousness, which nothing appertaineth to the righteousness of the law, or to the earthly and active righteousness. But this righteousness is heavenly ; which, as is said, we have not of ourselves, but receive it from heaven ; which we work not, but which by grace is wrought in us, and apprehended by faith, whereby we mount up above all laws and works. Wherefore, like as we have borne, as St. Paul saith, the image of the earthly Adam ; so let us bear the image of the heavenly, which is the new man in a new world, where is no law, no sin, no remorse or sting of conscience, no death, but perfect joy, righteousness, grace, peace, life, salvation, and glory.

Why, do we then nothing? do we work nothing for the obtaining of this righteousness ? I answer, Nothing at all. For this is perfect righteousness, ” to do nothing, to hear nothing, to know nothing of the law, or of works;” but to know and to believe this only, that Christ is gone to the Father, and is not now seen ; that he sitteth in heaven at the right hand of his Father, not as a judge, but made unto us of God, wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption ; briefly, that he is our high-priest entreating for us, and reigning over us, and in us, by grace. In this heavenly righteousness sin can have no place; for there is no law, and where no law is, there can be no transgression. (Rom. iv. 15.)

Seeing then that sin hath here no place, there can be no anguish of conscience, no fear, no heaviness. Therefore St. John saith (1 John v. 18), ” He that is born of God cannot sin.” But if there be any fear or grief of conscience, it is a token that this righteousness is withdrawn ; that grace is hidden ; and that Christ is darkened and out of sight. But where Christ is truly seen indeed, there must needs be full and perfect joy in the Lord, with peace of conscience, which most certainly thus thinketh: ” Although I am a sinner by the law, and under condemnation of the law, yet I despair not, yet I die not, because Christ liveth, who is both my righteousness and my everlasting life.” In that righteousness and life I have no sin, no fear, no sting of conscience, no care of death. I am indeed a sinner as touching this present life and the righteousness thereof, as the child of Adam ; where the law accuseth me, death reigneth over me, and at length would devour me. But I have another righteousness and life above this life, which is Christ the Son of God, who knoweth no sin nor deatb, but is righteousness and life eternal; by whom this my body, being dead and brought into dust, shall be raised up again, and delivered from the bondage of the law and sin, and shall be sanctified together with the Spirit.

So both these continue whilst we here live. The flesh is accused, exercised with temptations, oppressed with heaviness and sorrow, bruised by this active righteousness of the law; but the Spirit reigneth, rejoiceth, and is saved by this passive and Christian righteousness, because it knoweth that it hath a Lord in heaven at the right hand of his Father, who hath abolished the law, sin, death, and hath trodden under his feet all evils, led them captive, and triumphed over them in himself. (Col. ii. 15.)

St. Paul, therefore, in this Epistle, goeth about diligently to instruct us, to comfort us, to hold us in the perfect knowledge of this most Christian and excellent righteousness. For if the article of justification be once lost, then is all true Christian doctrine lost. And as many as are in the world that hold not this doctrine, are either Jews, Turks, Papists, or heretics. For between the ” righteousness of the law,” and ” Christian righteousness,” there is no mean. He then that strayeth from this ” Christian righteousness,” must needs fall into the ” righteousness of the law ;” that is. to say, ” when he hath lost Christ he must fall into the confidence of his own works.”

Therefore do we so earnestly set forth, and so often repeat this doctrine of ” faith” or ” Christian righteousness,” that by this means it may be kept in continual exercise, and may be plainly discerned from the ” active righteousness of the law.” Otherwise we shall never be able to hold the true divinity (for by this only doctrine the church is built, and in this it consisteth) ; but by and by we shall either become canonists, observers of ceremonies, ” observers of the law, or Papists, and Christ so darkened, that none in the church shall be either rightly taught or comforted.” Wherefore, if we will be teachers and leaders of others, it behoveth us to have great care of these matters, and to mark well this distinction between the righteousness of the law, and the righteousness of Christ. And this distinction is easy to be uttered in words; but in use and experience it is very hard, although it be never so diligently exercised and practised ; for that, in the hour of death, or in other agonies of the conscience, these two sorts of righteousness do encounter more near together than thou wouldest wish or desire. ” Wherefore I do admonish you, especially such as shall become instructors and guiders of consciences, and also every one apart, that ye exercise yourselves continually by study, by reading, by meditation of the word, and by prayer, that in the time of temptation ye may be able to instruct and comfort both your own consciences and others, and to bring them from the law to grace, from active and working righteousness, to the passive and received righteousness,” and, to conclude, ” from Moses to Christ.” For the devil is wont in affliction, and in the conflict of conscience, by the law to make us afraid, and to lay against us the guilt of sin, our wicked life past, the wrath and judgment of God, hell, and eternal death, that by this means he may drive us to desperation, make us bond-slaves to himself, and pluck us from Christ. Furthermore, he is wont to set against us those places of the Gospel, wherein Christ himself requireth works of us, and with plain words threateneth damnation to those who do them not. Now, if here we be not able to judge between these two kinds of righteousness, if we take not hold of Christ by faith sitting at the right hand of God (Heb. vii. 25), who maketh intercession unto the Father for us wretched sinners, then are we under the law and not under grace, and Christ is no more a Saviour, but lawgiver ; so that now there remaineth no more salvation, but a certain desperation and everlasting death, except repentance follow.

Let us then diligently learn to judge between these two kinds of righteousness, that we may know how far we ought to obey the law. Now, we have said before, that the law in a Christian ought not to pass his bounds, but ought to have dominion only over the flesh, which is in subjection unto it, and remaineth under the same. When it is thus, the law is kept within his bounds. But if it shall presume to creep into thy conscience, and there seek to reign, see thou play the cunning logician, and make the true division. Give no more to the law than is convenient, but say thou, O law, thou wouldest climb up into the kingdom of my conscience, and there reign and reprove it of sin, and wouldest take from me the joy of my heart, which I have by faith in Christ, and drive me to desperation, that I might be without all hope, and utterly perish. This thou dost besides thine office ; keep thyself within thy bounds, and exercise thy power upon the flesh, but touch not my conscience, for I am baptized, and by the Gospel am called to the partaking of righteousness and of everlasting life, to the kingdom of Christ, wherein my conscience is at rest, where no law is, but altogether forgiveness of sins, peace, quietness, joy, health, and everlasting life. Trouble me not in these matters, for I will not suffer thee, so intolerable a tyrant and cruel tormentor, to reign in my conscience, for it is the seat and temple of Christ the Son of God (1 Cor. vi. 19), who is the King of righteousness and peace, and my most sweet Saviour and Mediator ; he shall keep my conscience joyful and quiet in the sound and pure doctrine of the Gospel, and in the knowledge of this Christian and heavenly righteousness.

When I have this righteousness reigning in my heart, I descend from heaven as the rain making fruitful the earth: that is to say, I come . forth into another kingdom, and I do ” good works,” how and whensoever occasion is offered. If I be a minister of the word, I preach, I comfort the. broken■hearted, I administer the sacraments. If I be an householder, I govern my house and my family, I bring up my children in the knowledge and fear of God. If I be a magistrate, the charge that is given me from above, I diligently execute. If I be a servant, I do my master’s business faithfully. To conclude; whosoever he be that is assuredly persuaded that Christ is his righteousness, doth not only cheerfully and gladly work well in his vocation, but also submitteth himself through love to the magistrates and to their laws, yea though they be severe, sharp, and cruel, and (if necessity do so require) to all manner of burdens, and to all dangers of this present life, because he knoweth that this is the will of God, and that this obedience pleaseth him. Thus far as concerning the argument of this Epistle, whereof Paul entreateth, taking occasion of false teachers who had darkened this righteousness of faith among the Galatians, against whom he setteth himself in defending and commending his authority and office.

Via Luther’s Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians xxxiii-xxxix.