Thursday, July 12, 2012
Luther - Justification by Faith - Galatians Lectures
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan,
But is is because, as I often warn you, there is a clear and present danger that the devil may take away from us the pure doctrine of faith and may substitute for it the doctrines of works and of human traditions.
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 3
For if the doctrine of justification is lost, the whole of Christian doctrine is lost. And those in the world who do not teach it are either Jews or Turks or papists or sectarians.
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 9
These new monks [Anabaptists] invent a new cross and new works, and they imagine that by performing these they will please God. In short, whoever does not know the doctrine of justification takes away Christ the Propitiator. Galatians 1:3
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 28
For until our death Satan will never stop attacking all the doctrines of the Creed in us. He is the implacable enemy of faith, for he knows that it is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4). Therefore it is our obligation to hold constantly to our faith and to establish it, in order that we may be able to stand up to Satan. Galatians 1:3
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 31
["The Church of Rome is superior to the Gospels because it approves the Gospels" - or today - "The synod has approved it.]
The Church approves Christian faith and doctrine. Therefore the church is superior to them. To refute this wicked and blasphemous doctrine of theirs, you have here a clear text and a thunderbolt. Here Paul subordinates himself, an angel from heaven, teachers on earth, and any other masters at all to Sacred Scripture. Galatians 1:9
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 57f.
Besides, the question of justification is an elusive thing--not in itself, for in itself it is firm and sure, but so far as we are concerned. I myself have had considerable experience of this, for I know how I sometimes struggle in the hours of darkness. I know how often I suddenly lose sight of the rays of the Gospel and of grace, which have been obscured for me by thick, dark clouds. In other words, I know how slippery the footing is even for those who are mature and seem to be firmly established in matters of faith. Galatians 1:11-12.
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 63f.
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, Page 93 is the false argument - you weren't here from the beginning (not born in Wisconsin or didn't go to a Concordia Cemetery).
But those men look at Peter's high prestige; they admire his social position and forget the majesty of this doctrine. Paul does the opposite. He does not attack Peter sharply; he treats him with due respect. But because he sees that the prestige of Peter is endangering the majesty of the doctrine of justification, he ignores the prestige, in order to keep this doctrine pure and undefiled. Galatians 2:11
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 108.
The fall or error of one man can so easily bring on enormous ruin if it is not corrected. Therefore the doctrine of justification is nothing to be trifled with, and it is not without reason that we inculcate it and insist on it with such diligence. Galatians 2:13
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 111f.
Here let reason be far away, that enemy o faith, which, in the temptations of sin and death, relies not on the righteousness of faith or Christian righteousness, of which it is completely ignorant, but on its own righteousness, at most on the righteousness of the Law. As soon as reason and the Law are joined, faith immediately loses its virginity. Galatians 2:13
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 113.
Therefore the Christ who is grasped by faith and who lives in the heart is the true Christian righteousness, on account of which God counts us righteous and grants us eternal life. Galatians 2:16.
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 130
We must not attribute the power of justification to a "form" that makes a man pleasing to God; we must attribute it to faith, which takes hold of Christ the Savior Himself and possesses Him in the heart. This faith justifies without love and before love. Galatians 2:16
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 137
The only thing necessary is that we accept the treasure that is Christ, grasped by faith in our hearts, even though we feel that we are completely filled with sins. Thus these words, "by faith in Christ," are very emphatic, not empty and vain, as the sophists think when they leap over them so boldly. Galatians 2:16
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 139
Then they ridicule us for inculcating and emphasizing faith with such diligence: "Ha, ha! Faith, faith! Just wait until you get to heaven by faith! No you must strive for something more sublime. You must fulfill the Law of God...." Galatians 2:17
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 143
Holy Scripture, especially the New Testament, always inculcates faith in Christ and magnificently proclaims Him. It says that "whoever believes in Him is saved, does not perish, is not judged, is not put to shame, and has eternal life" (John 3:16). Galatians 2:17
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 146
Meanwhile my old man (Ephesians 4:22) remains outside and is subject to the Law. But so far as justification is concerned, Christ and I must be so closely attached that He lives in me and I in Him. What a marvelous way of speaking! Because He lives in me, whatever grace, righteousness, life, peace, and salvation there is in me is all Christ's; nevertheless, it is mine as well, by the cementing and attachment that are through faith, by which we become as one body in the Spirit. Galatians 2:20
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 167f.
Thus Ephesians 5:30 says: "We are members of the body of Christ, of His flesh and of His bones," in such a way that this faith couples Christ and me more intimately than a husband is coupled to his wife. Therefore faith is no idle quality; but it is a thing of such magnitude that it obscures and completely removes those foolish dreams of the sophists' doctrine--the fiction of a formed faith and of love, of merits, our worthiness, our quality, etc. Galatians 2:20.
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 168f.
Thus "You received the Spirit either from the Law or from the hearing of faith. If it was by the Law, then it was not by the hearing of faith; if it was by the hearing of faith, then it was not by the Law. There can be no middle ground. For whatever is not the Holy Spirit or hearing with faith is clearly the Law." We are dealing with the issue of justification. But there are only two ways to justification: either the Word of the Gospel or the Law. Galatians 3:2
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 203
But the doctrine of justification is this, that we are pronounced righteous and are saved solely by faith in Christ, and without works. If this is the true meaning of justification--as it certainly is, or it will be necessary to get rid of all Scripture--then it immediately follows that we are pronounced righteous neither through monasticism nor through vows nor through Masses not through any other works. Galatians 3:5
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 223
This discussion of the example of Abraham involves at the same time Holy Scripture itself, which says that we are reckoned righteous by faith. Therefore this is a very powerful argument on two counts, both because of the example of Abraham and because of the authority of Scripture. Galatians 3:7
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 240
Therefore faith always justifies and makes alive; and yet it does not remain alone, that is, idle. Not that it does not remain alone on its own level and in its own function, for it always justifies alone. But it is incarnate and becomes man; that is, it neither is nor remains idle or without love. Galatians 3:12
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 272
Who can adequately proclaim the usefulness and the effect of even one work that a Christian does in faith and on the basis of faith? Galatians 3:22
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 334