Was Luther Wrong?
Martin Luther, the 16th century monk, theologian and major driver of the Reformation, was rather famous for not liking the Epistle of James. “An epistle of straw,” he called it. This Sunday, we begin a series of Sundays reading through James, so it is worth considering for a moment.
His objection to James was an emphasis on the importance of works in the Christian life when Luther wanted to emphasize the centrality of the grace and mercy of God. Luther spent much of his younger life terrified that he was not good enough. Then the promise that salvation is “a gift and not because of works” finally sunk in and he realized that he depended not on his own works but on God’s grace.
He saw James’ emphasis on works as a dangerous move in the direction of believing that we could “earn” our salvation and the love of God. Part of his disdain for James was motivated, I’m sure, by the excesses and corruption in the Catholic Church of his day which emphasized giving and works over devotion and faith.
Balance is needed. No matter what we may claim to believe, or how much faith we claim to have, what we actually do remains critical. Can we really claim to believe that which we do not act on? Are we not just lying to ourselves about what we actually believe?
I often hear people, when confronted with some bad behavior, saying something like “that’s not who I really am.” Um, yea, it is. You did it, you chose it. It may not be what you want to be but is at least part of the picture.
Facing that reality can be a painful reckoning, but changing our patterns of behavior is essential to conversion and growth. I think that’s what James meant when he wrote “But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.” (James 1:22, click here to read the full passage.)
The truth is that our actions, our works, shape our faith and our faith shapes our actions. A healthy and growing Christian life requires both works and grace. Without works our faith is self-deception and without faith our works are not of God.
This column appered in the August 29, 2021 edition of St. John’s eNews. Click here for the complete issue.
If you are reading this at a different time, you may click here for the current eNews.
