Good Works

Man I love how Luther emphasized that
God doesn't need our good works
But our neighbor does
I mean that's so weighty when
You think about
It because all our good deeds
Our sanctification, our skill-sets
Our responsibilities, And various roles
Are for the benefit of those around us
Our families, society, our neighbor, right?
But what makes us right with God, Paul says
Is our faith
That's how we are made righteous
And how we remain righteous, in Christ
But when you blur those lines
And start looking at your
Sanctification for assurance
That you're right with God
A bunch of problems arise first off
We end up filled with discouragement
From constantly missing the mark
We can also end up filled with self doubt
From constantly applying subjective
And arbitrary measures
To assess our level of sanctification
In order to determine whether or
Not we are justified or on the flip side
We could be filled with self-righteousness
As a result of fulfilling
Some criteria we created and then in turn
Cast judgement on others who don't
Check our specific boxes
This is a common experience
Especially among Calvinists
Because it flows from functionally
Placing sanctification above justification
This stems from the fact that, in general
For Calvinists
There is a primary emphasis on God
With obedience to the law
Which perpetuates this inward focus
Luther on the other hand
Places the perfect work of
God in justification
Over the incomplete process of sanctification
We are to look Extra Nos
Or outside of ourselves
Towards the righteousness of faith
Which is our justification for assurance
This is where we find
Identity, stability, objectivity
And security
Luther is committed to justification
Truly being Sola Fide meaning by faith alone
His primary emphasis is on serving
Your neighbor through your vocation
This emphasis helps to maintain
The clear distinction
Between our identity being found in
Our righteousness of faith
Which we receive from God
Aka passive righteousness
Versus our performance or
Our active righteousness
Which is righteousness we live out for
The benefit of our neighbor as Christians
We should seek both kinds of righteousness
But for different purposes
We should guard our good works becoming the
Basis for our righteousness before God
And we should guard against
Our righteousness of faith
Being used to eliminate the
Need for good works
Our good works have value here on earth
Coram Mundo
But it does not justify us before God
Coram Deo
It is vital that we keep these separate