AG3c: 1875: Good Works; full download

      This continues from Part AG3b (Table of Contents in Part AG1a) in a series presenting Walther's essays to the Western District that supported his theme "That Only Through the Doctrine of the Lutheran Church is All Glory Given to God Alone". — This section finishes the 1875 essay and follows the doctrine of Sanctification. And Walther offers perfect Christian teaching on a subject that some (maybe me) dread. — From pp. 53-59:

Notable Quotes:

53: "The Lutheran Church is accused of being very zealous in teaching justification, but little about sanctification and especially too little about good works" [Cp. to Dr. Scott Keith's statement here.]

54: "We only call that a good work when we either [1.] do something that God has commanded us to do or [2.] leave something that he has forbidden."

54: "Everything that the papists devise for themselves, fasting, monasticism, pilgrimages, etc., are shameful works; … Such works are nothing but pure sin, since they arise from lust for reward"

55: Luther: "Therefore He joins faith and good works together, so that in the two there is the sum of the whole Christian life."

55: Luther: "Therefore understand this saying most simply, that works are fruits and signs of faith, and that God judges people according to such fruits, which must surely follow,"

55: "If one always hears the message of grace, one can easily fall into the trap of disregarding good works. A true Christian rejoices when he is warned of this danger."

56: "In justification we should trample all works underfoot, but outside of justification we should emphasize works."

56: "So God has, as it were, a book in His hands, in which every good work, every prayer, every Lord's Prayer, every sigh, every tear…"

57: "it is not a question of what we regard as good works, but what God regards as good works. He demands works from us that come from love for Him and gratitude."

57: "Let him who is slow to do good know that he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly."

57: "We should not wrongly rely on God's mercy and neglect works, because 

1. we will easily lose grace; 

2. we will show our ingratitude to God, who requires us to do them; 

3. we will be surprised at what we have in eternal life that others do not have."

58: "The best way to test a good work is to ask oneself whether it benefits one's neighbor or whether one does it only because it benefits himself."

58: "First preach diligently about grace, then you can also preach confidently about the great reward of good works. But if the doctrine of justification is not preached with emphasis, then you can certainly do harm by preaching about works."

58-59: "One such request that we could make to our congregations at the present time [1875] would be for contributions to the new building of our college.…that it [their contribution] would one day be in their account." [Eight years later, in 1883, the new seminary building was dedicated:]

New St. Louis seminary building, 1883 (Denkstein p 206 )

59: "Do not threaten, but ask the people for the sake of God's mercy, and tell them that it is a grace to give something for God's kingdom, and that you want to give them the opportunity to reap a harvest."

      Now I present my English translation of the full complete essay, with missing portions restored and with hyperlinks for reference and navigation:

Download the text file here (8-1/2 x 11, no highlighting); German text here.

      In the next Part AG4a, Walther's essay to the 1876 Western District convention: Means of Grace and Conversion.