The Freedom of a Christian: A New Translation (Crossway Short Classics)

The Freedom of a Christian: A New Translation by Martin Luther (translated into modern English by Robert Kolb)I’m glad Crossway publishes these short classics as they are fundamental indeed. We are all standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, including the earliest Reformers who were taught or influenced by Martin Luther– this work has influenced countless thousands. This is also of historical value as an early work of Luther, dedicated to a patron but written as a treatise to Pope Leo X. (There is a helpful foreword with context by Carl B. Trueman as well as a brief Luther biography.) There is something very fulfilling in reading Luther’s simple yet passionate attempt to explain what surely we Catholics and Protestants could agree on – freedom from works and structures that would have us depend on anything other than Christ. In our shared reading journey of this book, my beloved wife, who transitioned from Catholicism to Protestantism later in life, offered valuable insights into the enduring rejection of certain truths by Catholicism. These truths, eloquently articulated by Martin Luther and explicitly stated in the Bible, are considered self-evident by many.Reading this book is to read the Gospel. It is a window into a still somewhat early Luther’s theology, with a fundamental understanding that our love and charity to our neighbors flows from the love God has shown us in Christ rather than a means for us to earn anything from God. This is a notion most of us need to be reminded of every day. But such a teaching has obvious implications for an ecclesiastical system that was holding up a certain group of ordained priests, nuns, monks etc. as holier than the layperson.Luther’s treatise is not a fiery letter of anger or criticism and is a good reminder that Luther’s goal was reformation, not separation, but anything that draws a logical conclusion against structures stood up and defended for centuries will go over about as well with its leader (Pope Leo X) as a bundle of dynamite.Luther sums it up:“A Christian is a free lord of everything and subject to no one. A Christian is a willing servant of everything and subject to everyone” (p. 16).“It makes no difference, either, if a person devotes his body to praying, fasting, a pilgrimage, and all kinds of good works…It must be something completely different that delivers and bestows uprightness and freedom on the soul” (p. 17).“(T)he soul is free and cleared of all sin for the sake of faith, simply because of the betrothal gift from the bridegroom–that is, because of faith–and the soul is given the eternal righteousness of her bridegroom, Christ” (p. 23).“(T)he soul can get along without everything except God’s word, and it finds no help in anything apart from God’s word” (p. 18)“(A) person can dishonor God in no greater fashion than not to trust him…as though (he) knows better than God” (p. 22).“(W)hatever work is not directed toward serving others or suffering in submission to another person’s will…is not a good Christian work. That is why I am worried that few foundation churches, monasteries, altars, Masses, and dispositions of inheritance are Christian” (p. 39).Luther does not discount the importance of good works and spiritual discipline. As James wrote, “faith without works is dead.” A previous age understood that spiritual disciplines were to be practiced– not for salvation, but to train our bodies for godliness. The reader also sees the beginnings of a theology of work in this treatise:“(T)he body must be restrained and trained with fasting, vigils, working, and all reasonable discipline so that it is obedient to and conforms to the inner person and faith, so that it does not hinder or resist, as it is prone to do when it is not coerced” (p. 29).“Adam certainly did not become upright and righteous by his work and care of the garden. But in order that he not be indolent, God gave him something to do, to plant paradise, to cultivate it, and to watch over it…not for the sake of any gain, but simply to do what pleases God and not thereby to attain righteousness” (p. 30).(A)s God has helped us through Christ unconditionally, so we should do nothing else with our bodies and its actions than help our neighbor…Unfortunately, that is not only not to be found in the whole world, but it is no longer confessed or proclaimed” (p. 37).Jesus submits, so should we (citing Matthew 17:24-27):“Christ calls himself and his disciples free children of the King, who need nothing, and in spite of that he submits willingly, serves, and pays the tax” (p. 37)“Therefore, all the works of priests, monasteries, and ecclesiastical foundations should be done for the same reason that all people in their own walks of life and in the places where God created him are to do works only for the welfare of others and for disciplining their own bodies” (p. 38)“(A) Christian lives not in himself but in Christ and in his neighbor, in Christ through faith, in the neighbor through love” (p. 40). 5 stars. An easy read and fundamental to the Christian faith.

UPDATE: I promised an update after I read the book. Before I read the book I wasn’t sure what this was and if the author would be true to Luther’s writing.Well, the author is Martin Luther with a simple forward written by Carl R. Trueman. It is part of a nine volume series called, The Crossway Short Classics and introduces a new generation of readers to classic works of the faith in travel-size booklets. Each volume applies profound biblical wisdom to issues such as depression, sin, and temptation. Includes the best works from legendary theologians like J.C. Ryle, Jonathan Edwards, Henry Scougal, Francis A. Schaeffer, Charles Spurgeon, Thomas Chalmers, and B.B. Warfield on the Christian life.The series does not change the original writings but in some instances like Luther’s book is “Translated from the original German by world-renowned scholar Robert Kolb”.Luther was so pivotal in the reformation who through his words and actions precipitated a movement that reformulated certain basic tenets of Christian belief and resulted in the division of Western Christendom between Roman Catholicism and the new Protestant traditions.Martin Luther was one of the most important figures in the history of the Christian church especially Protestantism. His insights were both ecclesiastical -- involving separation from the Roman Catholic Church -- and theological. The major areas of reform in his theology for which he continues to be known are:- He emphasized salvation by grace rather than through ritual or works. You cannot buy or earn your salvation. No priest or pastor can give it to you. “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. “(Eph. 2:8-9.)- The "right and duty of private judgment". He thought that believers should be able to read the Bible for themselves in the vernacular and interpret it themselves rather than learning about theology only through the church tradition. Luther was instrumental in translated the Bible from Hebrew to German for the people of Germany. Prior to that time most every Bible (and not available to the masses) was in Latin. Although German translations of the New Testament existed prior to Luther’s version, but those referenced the Latin Vulgate—the official Bible of the Catholic Church which Luther criticized in his Theses. The first complete Luther Bible translation was printed in 1534 in German.- Luther disagreed with the selling of indulgences and the elements of the doctrine of Purgatory that those indulgences made possible. The selling of Indulgences are positively harmful to the recipient because they impede salvation by diverting charity and inducing a false sense of security. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteous.” (I John 1:9). Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, (Acts 3:19)- Luther believed in consubstantiation rather than transubstantiation in the Eucharist and elimination of the reserved Host. (While the "trans" in transubstantiation means to "change", the "con" in consubstantiation means "with." In this way, we can see that the difference between transubstantiation and consubstantiation is that one denomination (Roman Catholic) believes a literal change occurs during Communion, while other (Protestants) do not.)