Martin Luther's Writings

THE SECOND
is essential sin, natal, original, alien, concerning which Ps 51:7: Behold, for in iniquity I was conceived, and in sin my mother conceived me, concerning which Christ: the tree cannot make good fruits [Matt 7:18] and Rom 5:19a: through the disobedience of one man many were constituted sinners, and through the transgression of one human all humans into condemnation. And this is the sin which makes the prior righteousness to be nothing and evil and cursed, as Christ says [Matt 12:33]: Either make the tree good and the fruits good, or the tree evil and the fruits of it evil.

Secondly, that sin is incurable by the strength of man, nor does free will have any validity here, so that even the saints say: The evil which I do not wish, this I do [Rom 7:19] and Gal 5:17: You are not doing the things which you wish, [Ps 38:8]. Since my loins are filled with illusions, etc.

Thirdly, that is, what we all feel in desiring, being angry, especially when confronted by obstacles [objectis praesentibus], as the Lord says concerning a defective eye [Matt 6:23], etc. Therefore I said essential, because we contracted it through birth, and it remains always, nor does it pass by anywhere, inasmuch as it is actual, inasmuch as a spring, potion, or water is naturally salted with salt [sicut fons, venenum aut aqua salis naturaliter salsa est], as a leprous body has naturally of such a kind and a blind body likewise. I am not dealing here with logic.

The righteousness contrary to this is likewise natal, essential, original, alien, which is the righteousness of Christ [John 3:5], Unless he will have been reborn out of water and spirit. Likewise John 1:12: As many as received him, he gave to them power to become sons of God. And 1 John 3:9: He who has been born out of God, does not keep on sinning (that is, is not a sinner), but the generation of God preserves him [Rom 5:18-19] through the righteousness of one human into all humans into the justification of life, and through the obedience of one human many are constituted righteous.

This is concerning what I have just spoken about, what sort it should be, capital, foundation, our rock and our whole substance, in which we glory into eternity, as the Apostle says, because our life is hidden together with Christ in God [Col 3:3], and again: that we might be the righteousness of God in that one [2 Cor 5:21], and in 1 Cor 1:30: other foundation no one can lay.

Secondly, this becomes ours through faith [Rom 1:17], the righteous one lives out of faith, and Rom 10:10, With the heart it is believed to righteousness. This [righteousness] is conferred through baptism, this is properly what the Gospel announces, and is not the righteousness of the law, but the righteousness of grace.

Thirdly, he who has this [righteousness], even if he should sin, is not being damned [Ps 89:31, 32, should they have sinned, etc. For here is the spoiled son (as it is said), who cannot offend whatever he shall have done. [Ps 25:10]. The universal ways of the Lord are mercy and truth.

Fourthly, through this [righteousness] a human being becomes lord of all things, because his righteousness looks down from heaven [Psalm 85:11, 12], and here righteousness and truth meet each other, righteousness and peace kiss, for truth springs up from the ground. For without mercy a human being is a hypocrite, without righteousness he is restless. Grace makes [him] truthful, righteous, and true righteousness [makes] peace: but that truth is Christ, a human being [is] deceit.

Fifthly, the Apostle says [Rom 5:14]: that Adam is the pattern of the future one, obviously in the same way that Adam by one sin, certainly alien to them, by that same sin, as properly their own sin, makes all born out of him answerable and gives them what he has, so Christ by means of His own righteousness, that same righteousness of his own, alien to them and unmerited, makes all those born out of him righteous and saved ones, so that, as we were damned by means of an alien sin, thus we might be freed by an alien righteousness.

And so I said this essential and eternal, because it remains always and does not cease anywhere as actual, in accordance with that Ps 112:9. His righteousness remains into the age of the age. Only Christ is eternal: thus his righteousness also is eternal, and nevertheless ours. This is the mercy of God the Father, this the grace of the New Testament, by means of which the Lord is sweet to those who eat him: in this [grace] we must be saved, and no other. Acts 15:9 Not is a name given to us under heaven, etc. Ps 31:2, In your righteousness free me, and: God, in your name make me safe, etc. [Ps 54:3], This is what I said: No one is saved by his own name itself, but as a member of a class (that is not as Peter, Paul, John, but as Christian), as it says John 3:13, no one ascends into heaven unless he descends, the son of man, who is in heaven, concerning which I have just spoken more fully.