Bible Students

A personal reflection on “The Freedom of a Christian” by Martin Luther

This week’s reading was The Freedom of a Christian by Martin Luther. This work aims to give a case for the liberty Christians have in joyfully submitting themselves under the law of faith. This means submitting to the commands of Christ not because salvation depends on that, but because Christians love Jesus and desire to do His will, regardless of the personal gain. 

There are two contradictory statements deeply believed by Christians: A Christian is free and not subjected to anything, however the Christian is also the perfect servant, subjected to all things. This mirrors the battle between Spirit and flesh in the Christian. The freedom of the Christian is to subject oneself under others, not out of obligation (in the case of an unwilling law), but rather out of love for others. This subjection means Christians are subjected to all people, and yet in a different sense they are free, as freedom comes through the subjection to others. This “freedom” is what Christians were created to do, which is to love one another and to love God. Therefore, subjecting themself under one another means they are really attaining freedom. 

This freedom is not attained by restriction of physical things, such as food or drink, but rather the ingestion of the Word. The Scriptures bring the spiritual nourishment and dependence on Christ needed to find spiritual freedom in subjecting oneself to another. The Word of God is the gospel of Jesus, which brings change when the Christian puts their salvific and spiritual trust in Him. The Word must be cherished by faith, not by works. Christians are to believe in this gospel, and even when nothing is added they are justified through this belief. 

In fact, spiritually living apart from faith is impossible. No one can keep the law of works, as the law of works requires that even the inward self is not disobedient. Man must not covet, otherwise he breaks the law. All people have broken the law of works, as their inward self is covetous, lustful, and generally desires things which are not theirs. Therefore, one must draw power from outside of themself in order to fulfill this law. In order to do this, one must draw from the Lord in faith. Therefore, no one can accomplish the law of works apart from faith, if one can accomplish the law of works at all. 

In order to accomplish this law of faith, the soul must cling to the New Testament in order to be sanctified. The law of works, in fact, was not given for those who are obedient to faith, but for those who are disobedient, in order to demonstrate their disobedience. The law of works is fulfilled by the law of faith. The one who has faith has no need for works, but the one who only has works will not be saved, as they do not have faith. Obedience is given through faith, and not through works. Those who are under the law and do not supercede it through faith are justly condemned, as they attempt to merit salvation apart from faith in Christ, apart from aid in Jesus, and so fail in their attempt to satisfy God with their “goodness.”

However, for those who are saved through faith apart from works, they share abundantly with Christ all things which are under His ownership. Christ is the Husband of the church, and as her Husband He gives her all things which He has in His hand, and takes all that she had. The Lord has goodness, gifts, and salvation, and gives these to the church, purifying her and demonstrating her holy to God. The church has filthiness and disobedience, which is taken by the Husband, in order to sanctify her completely, not only by giving her good things, but by taking away her filth. 

Therefore, because her filth has been taken away by another who is Christ, she has no need to appease God through works. She has the works of Christ, which she can in no way surpass. Her works do not glorify God apart from faith, only faith can. This is because works apart from faith are carnal and physical, while faith is spiritual. God can only be glorified through things which are sown with a spiritual seed, not a physical seed. 

This is because Christ’s intercession and priesthood is a spiritual priesthood, not a physical priesthood. All things are subject to Him and can do Him (nor His bride) any harm, as He is both in and removed from this world, as His dwelling is spiritual first, and physical second. Therefore the church, likewise, must make her dwelling spiritual first and physical second. Christians must not seek works over faith. 

In fact, all believers share the priesthood with Christ, as all believers are a part of the bride to whom Christ gives all things, including the right to His priesthood. Therefore, Christians should drive out their desires and lusts. The ungodly works do not glorify God, as they are done apart from faith. Those who work apart from faith can not justify themselves, and are justly condemned apart from the sacrifice of Christ. Adam, who had no need for justification, worked as a picture of the work of the church. The church has no need for justification in works, as they have justification through faith, yet both Adam and the church work for love of Jesus and by extension love for one another. 

However, if a man was not justified by faith, even his good works are damnable. One should aim to plant themselves as a spiritual seed first, that they would bring forth spiritual fruit manifested in physical good deeds. If one attempts to plant themself as a physical seed in an attempt to bring spiritual fruit, they will be justly dug up and thrown into the fire. In this way, works are deceptive, as they can convince people they are justified apart from faith. 

The whole life of the bride of Christ is in surplus, and so doing good deeds is in no way an attempt to merit anything from God. Rather, good deeds are expressions of the surplus the Lord has already given the church. Christ Himself was found in human form in order to bring good gifts to His bride, and in like manner the church must be found in the form of a servant in order to bring good gifts to others. 

Christians must be ready to do every good work, not out of compulsion, but rather out of love. Ministers and Christian education, especially, must not use the false freedom found in compulsion or physical works to mimic true Christianity. Rather, ministers and Christian education must be the peak examples of Christian love for Jesus and one another, in order to demonstrate the true freedom of the opening paragraphs. 

The spiritual law gives freedom in the highest sense, as the church is spiritual first. The spiritual will last for eternity, but the physical will be burned up. Therefore, one must focus on the spiritual law over the physical law. Observe things in joy, not obligation. Only things not taken in faith are unclean. Do not be imprisoned under compulsion for festivals, but observe special times in joy for the Lord. 

These were some of the most insightful aspects of “The Freedom of a Christian,” presented in the form of a short summary. The flow of this letter is very concise, reminding me of a letter of Paul. It assumes the recipient understands the theological landscape, and so can be a bit confusing at times, but overall was very insightful.  Two interesting things I found while looking at the exposition of this letter. First is a concise quote on the submission of oneself under their neighbor: “The horizontal beam is symbolic of our life with others. As free sons and daughters of the King, we are also freed up to work on our neighbor’s behalf in and through our various vocations—whatever they may be.” The second is referencing some notes on the text. There have apparently been some additions to later printings of the letter, which I find interesting as it may give insight to how the biblical text was formed over time through the community of the church. Many scribes had their hands on the biblical text and made scribal additions, some of which were accepted by the whole Christian community. The scribal additions on this letter, noted by the Wengert edition, may give insight to how one should approach the biblical scribal additions.