1 - Introduction - Living like a real Christian City - The World That Is | Page 8

Read the extract below taken from Martin Luther’s commentary on
Galatians:
“As the earth bringeth not forth fruit except it be watered first from above;
even so by the righteousness of the law, in doing many things we do nothing,
and in fulfilling the law we fulfil it not, except first we are made righteous by
the Christian righteousness, which appertaineth nothing to the righteousness
of the law… But this righteousness is heavenly, which we have not of
ourselves, but receive it from heaven; we work not for it, but by grace it is
wrought in us, and is apprehended by faith… Why, do we then nothing? Do we
work nothing for the obtaining of this righteousness? I answer, Nothing at all.
For this is perfect righteousness, to do nothing, to hear nothing, to know
nothing of the law, or of works, but to know and believe this only, that Christ is
gone to the Father, and is not now seen; that He sitteth in heaven at the right
hand of His Father, not as judge, but…that He is our high priest intreating for
us, and reigning over us, and in us, by grace…
He that strayeth from this Christian righteousness, must needs fall into the
righteousness of the law; that is to say, when he hath lost Christ, he must fall
into the confidence of his own works. But…when I have Christian
righteousness reigning in my heart…I do good works, how and wheresoever
occasion arise… Whosoever is assuredly persuaded that Christ alone is his
righteousness, doth not only cheerfully and gladly work well in his vocation,
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