Martin Luther on Righteousness and Good Works
Looking at the Reformed Battle Cry of, "Salvation is by faith alone but never by a faith that is alone.", it is not contradictory. It's stupid that I keep hearing people who say, "Sir, your theology makes salvation complicated whenever you teach that true faith begets works!" Martin Luther's stand is not hard to understand when one looks through the Scriptures one by one. Although I disagree with his practice of infant baptism or how some Lutheran organizations have become diet Catholics (and Luther never laid a single brick), but Luther is right here in saying, "Our works do not generate righteousness, rather our righteousness in Christ generates works."
Is what he's saying works salvation and contradictory to Ephesians 2:8-9? Absolutely not at all considering that, if you are saved, you will inevitably produce fruit. It's a popular heresy to teach that it's possible to be saved but continue in such wantonness, die, then go to Heaven without any reward which is utter heresy. Such people are not true converts and Ephesians 2:10 is not just a command to do good works, you were ordained to do good works and God's grace enables anybody who He has saved to do good works that they should walk therein. Titus 2:11-14 says that if you have God's grace, certainly little by little you become zealous of good works. That's not works salvation, it's the result of salvation.
I am afraid today that a lot of people who claim to be Evangelicals, Protestants or Baptists are not part of Christendom. One can say, "I am a Baptist." but fall short to consider a salvation that results to sanctification, teaching salvation as a license to sin and sing the Antinomian's song, "I am free of the Law and I may sin all the more." which is not Biblical. Oh Lord, deliver us from such evil!
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