Thursday, September 13, 2012

Martin Luther: Faith is Assent to the Promises

Therefore, what the law does is to work, and what faith does is to assent to the promises.  -- Martin Luther


Galatians 3:12

On the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.” Here Paul shows the true righteousness of the law and of the Gospel. The righteousness of the law is to obey the law. The righteousness of faith is to believe. The law requires us to give something to God, but faith does not require us to do anything or give anything to God except that we should believe God’s promise and receive it from him. Therefore, what the law does is to work, and what faith does is to assent to the promises. As the law and the promise are different, so also are doing and believing. By this distinction Paul here sets about separating love from faith and teaches that love does not justify, because the law does nothing toward justification. Faith alone justifies and brings life; yet it is not idle.

Luther, M. (1998). Galatians. Crossway Classic Commentaries (149). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

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