The quality of the good works of Christians.
If we call the good works of the heathen in the spiritual sphere, or the sphere of the church, sin, the question again arises as to how the good works of Christians stand, because an examination of them reveals the fact that they are deficient both as to being normed by God's commandment and as to the willingness of the disposition from which they flow. As for the deficit in being normed, Scripture not only contains warnings addressed to Christians against the έϑελοϑρησκεία [self-appointed worship],186) but we also learn from Scripture itself the fact that, for example, members of the Roman congregation mistakenly counted187) abstention from the consumption of flesh and wine as part of the right form of their Christian walk.188) The actual deficit with regard to the willingness of the mind is present in the confession of the Apostle: "I delight in God's law according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, which opposeth the law in my mind, and taketh me captive unto the law of sin, which is in my members."189) That the works of Christians are nevertheless called good and highly praised,190) comes from the fact that Christians stand in faith in the forgiveness of sins, and through this faith they are also continually forgiven for the sins that still cling to their good works with regard to their deficient standardization and willingness. Christ's atoning blood, which sprinkles the person of Christians, eo ipso also sprinkles their works. Christ's perfect righteousness covers, as the person of Christians, so also the imperfection of their deeds.191) It is therefore scriptural terminology when, for example, Baier defines good works thus: "What makes good works good works, when considered in themselves, is their conformity to God's law; but if they are considered pleasing to God, even though they do not correspond exactly to the law,
186) Col. 2:16-23.<w:t>187) Rom. 14:14.
188) Rom. 14:1 ff.<w:t>189) Rom. 7:22-23.
190) Rom. 15:14; 1 Cor. 1:7; Phil. 2:12; Col. 1:4; 1 Thess. 1:3; 2 Thess. 2:3-4.
191) 1 Joh. 2:1-2: παράκλητον εχομεν προς τον πατέρα, Ίησονν Χριστόν όίκαιον. [“We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous; and He is the Propitiation for our sins”]
57 > Sanctification and good works. [English ed. ~ 47]
faith in Christ makes them good works."192) Numerous sayings of the Confessions and Luther belong here.193)