Faith | sojourns with Jesus

“Faith is a living, unshakeable confidence in God’s grace; it is so certain, that someone would die a thousand times for it.

This kind of trust in and knowledge of God’s grace makes a person joyful, confident, and happy with regard to God and all creatures.

This is what the Holy Spirit does by faith. Through faith, a person will do good to everyone without coercion, willingly and happily; he will serve everyone, suffer everything for the love and praise of God, who has shown him such grace. It is as impossible to separate works from faith as burning and shining from fire.

Therefore be on guard against your own false ideas and against the chatterers who think they are clever enough to make judgements about faith and good works but who are in reality the biggest fools.

Ask God to work faith in you; otherwise you will remain eternally without faith, no matter what you try to do or fabricate.” – Martin Luther, Preface to Romans.

http://twitter.com/Jonspach @Jonspach

I *think* this was one of Luther's earliest commentaries & his theology wasn't completely fleshed out, yet.

But, yeah, what's the saying "Salvation is by faith alone, but true faith is never alone?"

http://willadair.com Will

Luther wrote this in 1522, it was written when he was 39. Ten to six years after his conversion, depending on how you date his conversion which occurred between 1512-1516. What part do you not see as being fleshed out?

http://twitter.com/Jonspach @Jonspach

Nothing in the preface isn't fleshed out. From what I recall from when I read this commentary, (probably 7 years ago) this is basically the notes from his lectures in 1515. He's espousing justification by faith alone, but this is before his "tower experience" in 1519. He talks about it in Tabletalk, I think. So perhaps the preface or intro was written in 1522? Unless there's another version of his commentary I don't have (which is possible, to be sure) this is still his early work – heavy on his inner struggles & Staupitz.