What's a Lutheran? (2) Justification By Faith

The signature element of Lutheran theology and spirituality – the “article on which the church stands or falls,” as Martin Luther once said – goes by the slogan “justification by grace through faith, apart from works.” That is a mouthful and is easily misunderstood, but Lutherans see this slogan as expressing the heart of what Christian faith has always been about.

In short, we believe that we are “justified” (that is, made right with God) entirely by God for the sake of Jesus Christ, and not as a reward for anything that we have done.  For Luther, the discovery of this insight – specifically in the letters of Paul – came as an experience of freedom from religious anxiety and fear.  Luther had always doubted whether he had done enough to earn God’s favor and avoid God’s punishment – until he realized that God’s love and mercy are truly unconditional.  We do not have to prove to God, or anyone else, that we are right or good – our value in God’s eyes does not depend on what we do.  It is enough for God that we are human, created in God’s image, and partakers in the common humanity we share with Jesus.  The only thing we have to do is believe it – to trust this good news enough to act as if it were true.

This doesn’t mean doing good isn’t important to the Christian life.  It’s just not something we need to do in order to earn God’s favor or grace, because we already have it.  In fact, if we’re doing good deeds only in order to get rewarded for them one day in heaven, we’re not doing those good deeds for our neighbor – we’re doing them for ourselves.  And it’s our self-centered preoccupation with trying to prove our own status, goodness, and worthiness that is at the heart of all our problems.

Lutherans therefore oppose all religious claims that impose prerequisites of belief or actions on our part for receiving God’s grace.  We are especially against any efforts to divide humanity into good guys and bad guys – we’re all bad guys, to one degree or another, but fortunately God loves us all anyway.  And once we believe that we are worthy in God’s eyes no matter what, we might actually be able to relax enough to become better people and more of a help to our neighbors.