"Justification by Faith Alone"

The act of having true faith in Christ is enough justification in Luther's mind to be a Christian. He uses Biblical excerpts to prove this doctrine of "Justification by Faith Alone." Luther identifies with Paul from Romans 10, "for man believes with his heart and so is justified." (10) Accordingly, if only faith can justify the faith of a Christian, then no outer work needs to be performed to justify one's Christianity. The only action that makes …

…drives man to do. "Hence a man cannot be idle, for the need of his body drives him and he is compelled to do many good works to reduce it to subjection." (22) These works do not justify his faith in God but instead man does these deeds out of "the spontaneous love in obedience to God." (22) Good works are also done simply to please God. These works in no way make a Christian more Christian.