Martin Luther's Definition of Faith:

An excerpt from
"An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans"
Luther's !erman "i#le of $%&&
#' Martin Luther $()*+$%(,
-ranslated #' Re.. Ro#ert /. Smith
from DR. MAR-I0 L1-2/R'S 3/RMIS42-/ D/1-S42/ S42RIF-/0.
5ohann 6. Irmischer ed. 3ol. ,*
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Faith is not >hat some people thin? it is. -heir human
dream
is a delusion. "ecause the' o#ser.e that faith is not follo>ed
#'
8ood >or?s or a #etter life the' fall into error e.en thou8h
the'
spea? and hear much a#out faith. @@Faith is not enou8h'' the'
sa' @@Aou must do 8ood >or?s 'ou must #e pious to #e sa.ed.''
-he' thin? that >hen 'ou hear the 8ospel 'ou start >or?in8
creatin8 #' 'our o>n stren8th a than?ful heart >hich sa's @@I
#elie.e.'' -hat is >hat the' thin? true faith is. "ut #ecause
this is a human idea a dream the heart ne.er learns an'thin8
from it so it does nothin8 and reform doesn't come from this
@faith' either.
Instead faith is !od's >or? in us that chan8es us and
8i.es
ne> #irth from !od. 75ohn $:$*:. It ?ills the Bld Adam and
ma?es us
completel' different people. It chan8es our hearts our
spirits
our thou8hts and all our po>ers. It #rin8s the 2ol' Spirit >ith
it. Aes it is a li.in8 creati.e acti.e and po>erful thin8
this
faith. Faith cannot help doin8 8ood >or?s constantl'. It
doesn't
stop to as? if 8ood >or?s ou8ht to #e done #ut #efore an'one
as?s it alread' has done them and continues to do them >ithout
ceasin8. An'one >ho does not do 8ood >or?s in this manner is
an
un#elie.er. 2e stum#les around and loo?s for faith and 8ood
>or?s e.en thou8h he does not ?no> >hat faith or 8ood >or?s
are.
Aet he 8ossips and chatters a#out faith and 8ood >or?s >ith
man'
>ords.
Faith is a li.in8 #old trust in !od's 8race so certain
of
!od's fa.or that it >ould ris? death a thousand times trustin8
in it.
Such confidence and ?no>led8e of !od's 8race ma?es 'ou happ'
Co'ful and #old in 'our relationship to !od and all creatures.
-he
2ol' Spirit ma?es this happen throu8h faith. "ecause of it 'ou
freel' >illin8l' and Co'full' do 8ood to e.er'one ser.e
e.er'one suffer all ?inds of thin8s lo.e and praise the !od
>ho
has sho>n 'ou such 8race. -hus it is Cust as impossi#le to
separate faith and >or?s as it is to separate heat and li8ht
from
fireD -herefore >atch out for 'our o>n false ideas and 8uard
a8ainst 8ood+for+nothin8 8ossips >ho thin? the''re smart
enou8h
to define faith and >or?s #ut reall' are the 8reatest of
fools.
As? !od to >or? faith in 'ou or 'ou >ill remain fore.er
>ithout
faith no matter >hat 'ou >ish sa' or can do.

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-his text >as translated for ProCect Fitten#er8 #' Re.. Ro#ert
/.
Smith and is in the pu#lic domain. Aou ma' freel' distri#ute
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