Martin Luther's Writings

OF THE REVEREND FATHER MARTIN LUTHER, WITTENBERG AUGUSTINIAN. Threefold is sin, to which is opposed a threefold righteousness or
piety.

THE FIRST
is criminal todsuende, that is manifest evil, which even the secular power punishes, such as theft, homicide, arson, sacrilege, etc. Of these it punishes some with the sword, with fire, with water, with a gallows, with the wheel, such as in civil law, others with canonical penance, such as ordinary fornications, and still others , such as in canon law. To this (sin) that apparent righteousness Scheingerechtigkeit is contrary which makes [people into] the apes, peacocks and fig trees of Solomon (1 Kgs 10:22), by which comes about, that a man is good before people, and cannot be accused, and avoids the punishments of the law, and receives the temporal promises of the law [Rom 10:5]. Moses wrote, with reference to that righteousness which is of the law, that if a person does it, he will live in it (Lev 18:5, compare Gal 3:12), and Isaiah 1:19, If you are willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the land. Such was Naaman the Syrian, a great man before his lord, through whom the LORD gave salvation to Syria [ 2 Kgs 5:1]. Such were many kings of Israel and the people of Israel to whom the LORD gave good temporal things and many victories, notwithstanding they were idolaters at the same time; such the Samaritans, from whom God took away the lions [2 Kgs 17:25-40], although they were worshipping idols and the LORD at the same time. Such were the Romans according to Blessed Augustine [In his book on The City of God, 51.1.14] to whom the LORD gave the greatest empire. Thus he is accustomed to enrich also princes. Such to this very day are all who are doing penance on account of plague, hunger, war, or other scourges of God, who then pray, make pilgrimages, and make vows to the saints. Here belong those who worship the saints for the sake of bodily things, and priests who serve for the sake of present [temporal] things, and likewise the monks, and those who do many other such things. In short, this is the righteousness which receives its reward here, and is punished in the future, but somewhat more mildly than criminals [but hereafter receives eternal punishment, though milder than that of coarse criminals].

In the second place, it serves not God, but itself, nor is it the righteousness of sons but of slaves, nor is it peculiar to Christians, but rather is that of Jews and Gentiles. Nor are Christians to be exhorted to it, because it proceeds out of fear of punishment or love of its own comfort, not from the love of God.

Thirdly, it makes hypocrites, proud in the mind of their own heart, bold judges of others, as is plain in [the parable of] that Pharisee and Simon the Leper. [Lk 18:11; 7:39].

Fourthly the Apostle pronounced this curse (Gal 3:10): those who are of the works of the law [he says] are under a curse.

Therefore Christians, who are to be enriched with eternal good things, are not to be exhorted to that [righteousness], but rather discouraged (from it) in favour of a better one. Hence one is not to rejoice in these things; just as God enriches the Princes of Saxony with glory, riches, and pleasure, because they are religious [pious lords], And if these things were not enough, He will bring forth still a mountain of silver and peace [in the land] will be preserved. But let them see themselves, whether this will do them any good [for their salvation], lest they be mercenaries. For these rewards are the rewards of that lowliest and accursed righteousness, which pertains to the blessing of Esau and his sons (Gen 27:39f). These are those who boast of the free will of the Themenites [trust in their own conceit, like the Themenites - Baruch 3:23]. Thus God rewards even evil things, because just as they are good in the eyes of men, so also they receive good things in the eyes of men.