A modern English interpretation of “A Prologue Upon the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans” written by William Tyndale, 1531
Born around 1490 in England, William Tyndale obtained a Master of Arts degree at Oxford University in 1515. A gifted linguist, influenced by Martin Luther, he later studied at Cambridge before first being charged with heresy for his religious beliefs in 1522. Determined to translate the bible into his mother tongue, he spent some time in London at his study before leaving for Germany with his partially translated manuscript of the New Testament. He completed the translation in 1525, and it was first published in Germany in 1526 and smuggled into England and Scotland, where it was condemned by the Catholic Church.
Tyndale revised his New Testament translation in hiding in Germany, and began work on a translation of the Old Testament into English. He remained in hiding until he was apprehended in 1535, after which he was a prisoner at the castle of Vilvoorde in Brussels. Tried and convicted of heresy in 1536, he was condemned to death. On October the sixth of that year, he was strangled to death and then burnt at the stake. His last words were “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes!”
Though never attributed, Tyndale’s work was the basis for many early English bibles including the King James Version of 1611. Perhaps 80% of the content of the New Testament of that translation is attributable to Tyndale. He also coined many popular phrases and influences the English language to this day.
Scripture quoted by him in this work is from his own translation, and has not been altered or interpreted.
Introduction
Forasmuch as this, Paul’s letter to the Romans, is the foremost and most excellent portion of the new Testament and the most pure statement of the glad tidings that we call the gospel, and illuminates the whole scripture; I think it wise that every Christian man not only know it by heart and without the book, but practice it continually throughout his life as the daily bread of the soul. No man can truly read it too often, or study it too well, for the more it is studied, the easier it is; the more it is chewed, the more pleasant it becomes; and the more deeply it is searched, the more precious things are found in it. So great a treasure of spiritual things lies hidden within it that I will spend my labor and diligence, through this little preface or prologue, to prepare a way into it – in so far as God gives me grace – that every man may better understand it. For until now it has been so darkened by the interpretations and fanciful dreams of church philosophers, that no man could understand the intent and meaning of it; though it is a bright light, and sufficient to illuminate all scripture.
First, we must take note of the manner of speaking of the apostle, and above all things know what Paul means when he uses these terms: the law, sin, grace, faith, righteousness, flesh, spirit, etc. Otherwise, though you read it often, your labor will be lost.
The Law
This word law must not be interpreted in the common manner, nor (to use Paul's term) ‘after the manner of men’, or after man's ways. We recognize man’s law as nothing but learning that teaches what should and shouldn’t be done, which is fulfilled by outward works only, regardless of the condition of the heart. But God judges based on what is deep in the heart – on the thoughts and the secrets of the mind – and therefore his law requires obedience from the depths of the heart, and love from the bottom of it. It is not content with outward works only. He most strongly rebukes those works which do not originate from love deep within the heart – though they appear ever so honest and good outwardly – as Christ in the gospels rebuked the Pharisees more than those who openly sinned, and called them hypocrites and whitewashed tombs. Yet no one ever lived as pure a life as the Pharisees, if they were judged by their outward deeds and works of the law. Even Paul confesses of himself that, in regard to the works of the law, he was faultless (Philippians 3). But all the while, he murdered Christians, persecuting them, and tormenting them so badly that he forced them to blaspheme Christ; he was altogether merciless, as are many who now are outwardly good.
Because of this the 115th psalm calls all men liars, because no man keeps the law from the depths of the heart, neither can he keep it, though outwardly he appears full of good works. For all men are naturally inclined toward evil, and hate the law. We find it undesirable and tedious to do good, but have great desire and delight in doing evil. Where the absence of evil is considered good, the law is not fulfilled from the heart and without a doubt there also sin, and the wrath of God it deserves, though there be a great outward show and appearance of honest living.
Because of this Paul concludes in the second chapter that the Jews are all sinners and transgressors of the law, though they make men believe – through the hypocrisy of outward works – that they fulfill the law. And he says ‘he only which doth the law is righteous before God’, meaning that no man by his outward works fulfills the law. "Thou," he says to the Jew, "teachest a man should not break wedlock, and yet breakest wedlock thyself. Wherein thou judgest another man, therein condemnest thou thyself; for thou thyself doest even the very same things which thou judgest." It is as though he were saying ‘You live outwardly according to the law, and judge those who do not. You teach other men, and see the splinter in another man's eye, but are not aware of the beam that is in your own eye. For though you keep the law outwardly with works, for fear of rebuke, shame, and punishment – either from love of reward, your own advantage, or your vanity – yet you do all of this without desire or love toward the law, and would do the opposite if you were not afraid of the consequences. Inwardly, in your heart, you wish that there were no law and no God (the author and punisher of the law) if that were possible, because it so painful to you to have your appetites constrained!’
Therefore it is easy to conclude that you, within your heart, are an enemy to the law. What good is it to teach another man not to steal when you are a thief at heart and would outwardly steal if you could get away with it? And evil deeds will not always remain hidden inside such hypocrites, but will surface, even as a disease cannot always be kept in check by medicine. You teach another man, but do not teach yourself. Truthfully, you know not what you teach, for you do not properly understand the law – that it cannot be fulfilled and satisfied but by true love and affection. Much less can it be fulfilled with outward deeds and works alone. Moreover, the law increases sin (as Paul says in Chapter 5) showing that man is an enemy to the law because it requires so many things that are completely contrary to his nature that he is not able to fulfill one jot or tittle of the law’s requirement and this provokes him to a greater desire to break it!
And so he says, in chapter 7, that "the law is spiritual" as if to say that If the law were fleshly, and merely man's doctrine, it might be fulfilled, satisfied, and quieted by outward deeds. But the law is spiritual, and as such no man fulfills it unless all he does comes from love out of the depth of his heart. Such a new heart and bold desire toward the law can never come by your own strength and willpower except by the operation and working of the Spirit. For only the Spirit of God can make a man spiritual like the law, so that from that time forward he does nothing out of fear, or for worldly gain, or his own advantage, or vanity, but from a free heart and an inward desire. The law is spiritual, and will be both loved and fulfilled by a spiritual heart. So it is of necessity the Spirit that makes a man's heart free, and gives him desire and courage toward the law. Where there is no such spirit, there remains sin, grudging, and hatred against the law; even though the law is good, righteous, and holy.
Familiarize yourself with Paul’s manner of speaking, and let this hold fast in your heart; these two things are not the same: to do the deeds and works of the law, and to fulfill the law. The work of the law is whatever a man does or can do by his own willpower, by his own strength and enforcement. But work as hard as you might, as long as there remain in the heart a lack of desire, tediousness, grudging, grief, pain, disgust, and disdain toward the law – all of your works are of no profit to you and are lost; they are even damnable in the sight of God. This is what Paul means, in chapter 3, where he says, "By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God." By this it is clear that the philosophers of the church are liars, teaching that a man may and must bring himself to grace, and to the favor of God, with good works, before he may have the Spirit and true faith of Christ. How can they bring themselves to the favor of God, and to that which is good, when they themselves can do no good, let alone think a good thought, or consent to do good; the devil taking captive their hearts, minds, and thoughts at his pleasure? Do you think those works which are done with grief, pain, and tediousness, with an evil will, and with a hostile and grudging mind can please God? O holy Prosperus, you did with the scripture of Paul mightily dispel this heresy around twelve hundred years ago!
To fulfill the law is to do the works of the law – and whatsoever the law commands – with love, desire, inward affection and delight, and to live godly and well; freely, willingly, and without being compelled by the law, as though there were no law at all. Such desire and liberty to love the law come only by the working of the Spirit in the heart, as Paul says in the fifth chapter. The Spirit is given by faith alone – when we believe the promises of God without wavering; knowing God is true, and will fulfill all his good promises to us for the sake of Christ's blood. This is plain in chapter 1 where Paul says, "I am not ashamed of Christ's glad tidings, for it is the power of God unto salvation to as many as believe". For at the very moment we believe the glad tidings preached to us, the Holy Ghost enters into our hearts, and releases the bonds of the devil which before held our hearts in captivity so that we could have no desire for the will of God as expressed in the law. And as the Spirit comes by faith alone, so faith comes by hearing the word (or glad tidings) of God when Christ is preached; that he is God's Son and a man also, dead and risen again for our sakes, as Paul says in chapters 3, 4 and 5. All our justification then comes by faith, and faith and the Spirit come from God, and not of us.
When I say faith brings the Spirit, do not think that because of faith we are deserving of the Spirit, or that the Spirit is not present in us before faith: for the Spirit is always in us. Faith is the gift and working of the Spirit. But through preaching the Spirit begins to work in us. And just as he makes us aware by the preaching of the law of the fear of God; so by the preaching of the glad tidings he works faith. When we believe and come under the covenant of God, then we are sure of the Spirit by the promise of God. Then the Spirit and faith are inseparable companions and we begin to feel the Spirit working in us. So faith gives assurance that the Spirit in us, and also brings the Spirit with her, resulting in the working of all the other gifts of grace, and the working out of the rest of our salvation; until we have altogether overcome sin, death, hell, and Satan, and come into the everlasting life of glory. And because of this I say faith brings the Spirit.
It comes down to this; only faith justifies, makes righteous, and fulfills the law. Faith brings the Spirit when we first catch sight of Christ; the Spirit brings desire, releasing the heart, making it free, setting it at liberty and giving it strength to work the deeds of the law with love, even as the law requires. Finally, from the same faith so working in the heart, come all good works by their own accord. This is what is meant in the third chapter: for after Paul had rejected the works of the law, it seemed as though he would break and invalidate the law through faith. He answers this charge by stating, "We destroy not the law through faith, but maintain, further, or establish the law through faith"; in other words, we fulfill the law through faith.
Sin
Sin in the scripture does not refer only to the outward deeds committed by the body, but to whatever accompanies, moves, or stirs us to do the outward deeds. It includes the motives from which the deeds originate, such as unbelief, inclination, and readiness toward the deed in the heart, along with all the powers, fondnesses, and appetites by which we tend toward sin. Therefore we say that a man sins when he is carried away headlong into sin because of the poisonous inclination and corrupt nature with which he was conceived and born. For no outward sin is committed in which a man is not carried away completely in life, soul, heart, body, desire and mind involved. The scripture looks only at the heart, and to the root and original fountain of all sin; which is unbelief in the bottom of the heart. For just as faith alone justifies and brings the Spirit and desire to do the outward good works; so unbelief alone damns and keeps out the Spirit, provokes the flesh, and stirs up desire toward evil outward works, as was the case with Adam and Eve in Paradise (Genesis 3).
For this reason Christ calls unbelief sin, notably in John 16. "The spirit," he says, "shall rebuke the world of sin, because they believe not in me." And, in John 8, "I am the light of the world." Therefore, in John 12, he commands them, "While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not where he goeth." Now as Christ is the light, so the ignorance of Christ is the darkness of which he speaks, and he that walks in it does not know where he goes. That is, he does not know how to work a good work in the sight of God, or what a good work is. Therefore Christ says, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world; but there cometh night when no man can work" – the night is ignorance of Christ, in which no man can see to do any work to please God. And Paul exhorts us, in Ephesians 4, that we "walk not as other heathens, who are strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them." And again, in the same chapter: "Put off the old man, which is corrupt through the lusts of error," that is to say, ignorance. In Romans 13 he says, "Let us cast away the deeds of darkness," in other words, of ignorance and unbelief. In 1 Peter 1, Peter says, "Fashion not yourselves unto your old lusts of ignorance." And, in 1 John 2:2, John says, "He that loveth his brother dwelleth in light, and he that hateth his brother walketh in darkness, and wotteth not whither he goeth, for darkness hath blinded his eyes." By light he means the knowledge of Christ and by darkness the ignorance of Christ. For it is impossible for one who knows Christ to truly hate his brother. Furthermore, you must understand that it is not possible for a man to sin at all without breaking the first commandment. The first commandment is divided into two verses: "Thy Lord God is one God; and thou shalt love thy Lord God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, with all thy power, and with all thy might." And the reason I sin (regardless of any lesser cause) is that this love is not in my heart. Were this love written in my heart, and were it full and perfect in my soul, it would keep my heart from consenting to any sin. And the only reason that this love is not written in our hearts is that we don’t believe that "our Lord God is one God." What do the words, "one Lord and one God," mean? If I understand that he made all and rules all, and that whatever is done to me, whether good or bad, is always his will (that he alone is the Lord that establishes and does it) and am aware of what scripture means in saying he is ‘my’ God– if my heart believed and felt the infinite benefits and kindnesses of God to me, and knew and earnestly believed the many promises of mercy God has made of himself to be wholly and altogether mine (with all his power, love, mercy, and might) – then I would love him with all my heart, soul, power, and might, and because of that love always keep his commandments. So you see that even as faith is the mother of all goodness and of all good works, so unbelief is the root of all evil and all evil works.
Finally, if any man who has forsaken sin and been converted to put his trust in Christ (and to keep the law of God) should fall at any time; it is because he has allowed the flesh, through negligence, to choke and oppress the spirit. He has taken from her the food that strengthens her; her meditation on God, and his wonderful deeds, and the many promises of his mercy. Therefore, prior to any good works (good fruits) there must be faith in the heart from which they come. And prior to any bad deeds (bad fruits) there must be unbelief in the heart as the root, fountain, core, and strength of all sin. This unbelief and ignorance is called the head of the serpent, of the old dragon, which the woman's seed, Christ, must tread under foot as was promised to Adam.
Grace and Gift
There is a difference between the words ‘grace’ and ‘gift’. Grace truly is God's favor, benevolence, or kind mind, which (though we have not deserved it) he bears toward us. By grace he was inclined to give us Christ, along with all his other gifts of grace. The ‘gift’ is the Holy Ghost, and his working, which he pours into the hearts of those on whom he has mercy, and whom he favors. The gifts of the Spirit increase in us daily, though not yet perfected – indeed, though evil lusts and sin remain in us which fight against the Spirit (as Paul says here in chapter 7 and in Galatians 5) – and as I pointed out before from Genesis, though the debate between the woman's seed and the seed of the serpent continues – nevertheless God's favor is so great and so strong over us for Christ's sake, that we are counted completely whole, and perfect before God. For God's favor toward us is not incremental, increasing little by little, as with the gifts; but we receive it completely, in full love for Christ's sake, our Intercessor and Mediator, because of the gifts of the Spirit and the battle between the Spirit and evil lusts have already begun in us.
Because of this you can now understand the seventh chapter, where Paul calls himself a sinner, while in the eight chapter he says, "there is no damnation to them that are in Christ". It is because of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit that have begun working in us. We are sinners because the flesh is not yet fully dead: nevertheless, inasmuch as we believe in Christ, and have the deposit and beginning of the Spirit, and desire perfection, God is so loving and favorable toward us that he will not look on such sin, nor will he count it as sin; but will deal with us according to our belief in Christ, and according to his promises which he has made to us, until sin is fully destroyed by death.
Faith
Faith is not a man's opinion or dream, as some imagine when they hear the gospel. It soon becomes obvious that these do no good works, nor is there any change in their lifestyle (though they listen to and indeed can babble many things of faith) and they fall away and say that it is not merely faith that justifies, but a man must have good works as well to be righteous and saved. The problem is that when they hear the gospel, they pretend to know it of their own strength and imagination and thoughts of their heart. They say, “I have heard the gospel, I remember the story, lo! I believe”! This they count as true faith when in reality it is their own imagination and pretense. So they do not profit by it, and are not spurred to any good works, nor any change of lifestyle.
But true faith is a thing created by the Holy Ghost in us, which changes us, causes us to have a new nature, creates us anew in God, and makes us the sons of God. This we read in John 1. Faith kills the old Adam, and makes us altogether new in the heart, mind, will, desire, and in all our affections and powers of the soul. The Holy Ghost always accompanies faith in ruling the heart.
Faith is a lively thing, mighty in working, valiant, and strong, ever doing, ever fruitful, so that it is impossible for anyone who possesses it not to work continual good works. He never asks whether good works should be done, but has done them already, before mention is made of them; and is always doing, for such is his nature. Living faith in his heart, and lively moving of the Spirit, drive him and stir him to do these things. He who does no good works is an unbeliever, and faithless, and looks around him, groping for faith and good works, and does not know what faith or good works are, though he speaks constantly of faith and good works.
Faith is, then, a lively and a solid trust in the favor of God, by which we commit ourselves completely to God. That trust is so thoroughly grounded, and holds so fast in our hearts, that a man would not doubt it, even though he should die a thousand times for it. And such trust, created by the Holy Ghost through faith, makes a man glad, lively, cheerful, and truehearted toward God and to all his creatures: and by faith, willingly and without being compelled, he is glad and ready to do good to every man, to do service for every man, to suffer all things, that God, which has given him such grace, may be loved and praised. Therefore, it is impossible to separate good works from faith, just as it is impossible to separate heat and burning from fire. Watch yourself, and beware of your own fantasies and imaginings; which make it seem wise to judge faith by good works, when in truth this leads to blindness and is supreme foolishness. Pray to God that he will work faith in your heart, or else you will always remain faithless; pretending, imagining, and compelling yourself, wrestling with yourself to do what you alone will or can.
Righteousness
Righteousness is like faith; and is called God's righteousness, or righteousness that is of value before God. It is also God's gift, and it alters a man, and changes him to have a new spiritual nature, and makes him free and generous in paying every man what is owed. For through faith a man is purged of his sins, and obtains desire for the law of God; so that he gives God honor, and pays him that which he owes him; and serves men willingly in any way he can, and pays every man what is owed him. Such righteousness can never come about by our nature, will, or strength. For since no man can give himself faith, or take away unbelief, how can he take away any sin? So anything that is done without faith or in unbelief is hypocrisy and sin, as is evident in the fourteenth chapter of Romans, though it never appears so gloriously or beautifully thereafter.
Flesh and Spirit
You need to understand, as regards the words ‘flesh’ and ‘Spirit’, that ‘flesh’ pertains not only to sexual impurity, and the ‘Spirit’ not only to those inward things of the heart. Paul here calls the flesh, as Christ does in John, all that is born of flesh; that is, the whole man; life, soul, body, intellect, will, reason, and whatever he is or does within and without. All of these, and all that is in man, seek after the world and the flesh. Therefore the flesh is whatever we think or say about God, faith, good works, or spiritual matters as long as we are without the Spirit of God. Flesh is also any works which are done apart from grace, and without the working of the Spirit, regardless of how good, holy, and spiritual they seem to be. This can be seen in the fifth chapter of Galatians, where Paul numbers worship of idols, witchcraft, envy, and hate among the deeds of the flesh. Also, in the eighth chapter of Romans, he says that the law is weak because of the flesh; which is not to be understood as sexual impurity only, but all sins, and most of all unbelief, which is a great spiritual misdeed, and the basis of all sin.
So you would call him ‘flesh’ which has not been renewed by the Spirit, and born again in Christ. All his deeds are of the flesh – even the very motions of his heart and mind; his learning, doctrine, and contemplation of high things, his preaching, teaching, and study in the scriptures, building of churches, founding of abbeys, giving of alms, mass, matins, and whatever he does – though it seems spiritual and according to the laws of God. On the contrary, you would call him spiritual who is renewed in Christ, who’s deeds, which spring from faith, seem never beneath him (as the washing of the disciples' feet by Christ, and Peter's fishing after the resurrection) which is true of whatever is done in accordance with the laws of God, even though it be done in the body – even down to the wiping of shoes and so forth, however demeaning this may outwardly appear. Without such an understanding of these terms you can never understand this letter of Paul, nor any of the rest of the Holy Scripture. Beware then, for whoever understands these terms as meaning otherwise, whoever he may be, does not understand Paul.
Chapter 1
Now we will prepare ourselves to look at the letter of Paul to the Romans. It is proper for the preacher of Christ's glad tidings first to open the law, to rebuke all things, and to prove all things sin that are not of the Spirit and of faith in Christ. We must prove all men sinners and children of wrath by inheritance; and show them that it is their nature to sin and that by nature they can do nothing other than to sin. By this we halt the pride of man, and bring him to the knowledge of himself and to misery and wretchedness, so that he might desire help. This is what Paul does. He begins in the first chapter to rebuke unbelief and obviously vulgar sins (which all men see) as idolatry, as are the sins of those who do not know God, and the sins of those who live in ignorance without faith, and without the favor of God. He says, "The wrath of the God of heaven appeareth through the gospel upon all men, for their ungodliness and unholy living." For though it is known and daily understood by the creation that there is but one God, even nature of herself without the Spirit and grace is so corrupt and poisoned that men are not moved by her to thank him, nor worship him, nor give him his due honor. Instead, they blind themselves and become worse without ceasing until they begin worshipping images and working shameful sins, which are abominable and against nature. Moreover, they do not correct those do these things, taking delight and pleasure in them.
Chapter 2
In the second chapter the apostle continues by rebuking religious people also, which, without desire or love for the law live good lives outwardly, and condemn others gladly – as is the nature of all hypocrites; they think themselves pure as compared to open sinners – and yet they hate the law inwardly, and are full of covetousness, and envy, and of all uncleanness (Matthew 23). These despise the goodness of God and according to the hardness of their hearts heap together for themselves the wrath of God. Paul, as one who truly expounds the law, insists that no man is without sin and declares that they are all under sin (even when they do good by their own will and nature) and proclaims them to be no better than open sinners. In fact, he calls them hard-hearted and says they are unable to repent.
Chapter 3
In the third chapter he mixes together both the Jews and the Gentiles, and says that they are like one another, both sinners, and there is no difference between them except that the Jews had the word of God entrusted to them. And though many did not believe the word, God's truth and promise were neither hurt nor diminished by their unbelief. And he directs the words of Psalm 51 at them, "that God might abide true in his words, and overcome when he is judged." After that he returns to his purpose again, and proves by the scripture that all men, without difference or exception, are sinners and that no man is justified by the works of the law, but that the law was given only to bring knowledge of and expose sin. Then he shows the right way to righteousness, and by what means men must be made righteous and safe. He says they are all sinners without praise before God and must, without deserving it, be made righteous through faith in Christ, who is the one who deserved such righteousness on our behalf, and has become to us God's mercy-seat, for the remission of our sins. This proves that Christ's righteousness, which comes to us by faith, is our only help. This righteousness, he says, is now declared through the gospel, and was "testified of before by the law and the prophets." Additionally, he says the law is helped and furthered through faith although the works of the law, with all their boasting, count for nothing and will not justify us.
Chapter 4
In the fourth chapter, now that the first three have opened us to our sins, and the way of faith unto righteousness has been laid, he begins to answer particular objections. First, he puts forth the blind reasoning which those that want be justified by their own works commonly make upon hearing that faith alone, without works, justifies. He quotes them, saying, "Shall men do no good works? Yea, and if faith only justifieth, what need a man to study for to do good works?" To refute this argument, he uses Abraham as an example, asking, did Abraham gain nothing by his works? Was all in vain? Was there no profit from his works? He concludes that Abraham, without and before any works, was justified and made righteous insomuch as he was praised in scripture, and called righteous by his faith alone (Genesis 15) before he was circumcised. So he was not circumcised as a means to gain righteousness, but when God commanded him to be circumcised, it was done as a good work of obedience. Likewise, no doubt, no other works help gain a man's justification. But as Abraham's circumcision was an outward sign by which he declared the righteousness he had by faith, and his obedience and readiness toward the will of God; so are all other good works outward signs and outward fruits of faith and of the Spirit. They do not justify a man, but show that a man is already justified before God, inwardly in the heart, through faith, and through the Spirit purchased by Christ's blood.
By this Paul establishes his doctrine of faith, and adds to it the testimony of David in Psalm 32, which calls a man blessed, not by works, but in that his sin is not reckoned by God; that his faith is imputed as righteousness, but he continues to do good works once he is justified. For we are justified and receive the Spirit that we may do good works. Otherwise it is impossible to do good works, unless we first have the Spirit. For how is it possible to do any thing well in the sight of God while we are still in captivity and bondage to the devil, and the devil possesses us, and holds our hearts so that we cannot even submit to the will of God? Therefore no man can prevent the Spirit from doing good.
The Spirit must first come, and wake the sinner from his sleep with the thunder of the law, and cause him to fear, and show him his miserable estate and wretchedness; and make him abhor and hate himself, and desire help. Then the Spirit will comfort him again with the pleasant rain of the gospel, that is to say, with the sweet promises of God in Christ, and stir up faith in him to believe the promises. Then, when he believes that God in his mercy is true to fulfill the promises; God will give him the Spirit and strength, both to love the will of God and to work evermore. So we see that God only, who, according to the scripture, works all in all things, works a man's justification, salvation, and health. He pours faith and belief, desire to love God's will, and strength to fulfill it into us even as water is poured into a vessel, according to his good will and purpose, and not of our merit or deserving. God's mercy in his promises and truth in fulfilling his promises saves us, and not ourselves. Therefore all honor, praise, and glory is to be given to God for his mercy and truth, and not to us for our merit or knowledge. After that, Paul expands his example to include all other good works of the law, and concludes that the Jews cannot be Abraham's heirs because of blood and ancestry alone, and much less by the works of the law, but must inherit Abraham's faith if they are to be the true heirs of Abraham. For Abraham was made righteous through faith before the law (both of Moses and of circumcision) and called the father of all that believe – not of those who work. Moreover, the law brings wrath, because no man can fulfill it with love and desire; and as long as grudging, hate, and indignation against the law remain in the heart – and are not taken away by the Spirit that comes by faith – the works of the law declare clearly that the wrath of God is upon us, and not his favor. So true faith receives only the grace which was promised to Abraham. And these examples were not written for Abraham's sake only, says Paul at the end of the chapter, but for ours also; to whom, if we believe, faith shall be reckoned as righteousness.
Chapter 5
In the fifth chapter the apostle commends the fruits, or works of faith; peace, rejoicing in the conscience, inward love to God and man; boldness, trust, confidence, and a strong and vigorous mind, and steadfast hope in tribulation and suffering. All of these follow true faith and lead to abundant grace, and gifts of the Spirit which God has given us in Christ; if we believe that he died for us while we were still his enemies.
So we recognize that faith only, before any works, justifies, and so a man should do no good works unless they emit from and accompany faith, even as brightness accompanies the sun. These Paul calls the fruits of the Spirit. Where the Spirit is, it is always summer, and there are always good fruits, meaning good works. This is Paul's order: that good works spring from the Spirit; the Spirit comes by faith; and faith comes by hearing the word of God when the glad tidings and promises which God has made to us in Christ are preached truthfully and received in the heart without wavering or doubting. And this only after the law has passed judgment on us, and has condemned our consciences. Where the word of God is preached in its pure form and received in the heart, there is faith and the Spirit of God; and there are also necessarily good works whenever the opportunity is given. Where God's word is not purely preached, but instead men's dreams, traditions, imaginations, inventions, ceremonies, and superstition, there is no faith; and consequently no spirit that comes from God. And where God's Spirit is not, there can be no good works; just as where there is no apple tree, there can grow no apples. Instead, there is unbelief, the devil's spirit, and evil works. Of God's Spirit and his fruits our holy hypocrites have not even known, neither have they tasted how sweet they are; though they pretend to do many good works of their own imagination, by which to be justified, in which is not one crumb of true faith, spiritual love, inward joy, peace, or quietness of the conscience. Forasmuch as they do not believe word of God regarding these things God, they are the rotten fruits of a rotten tree.
Now Paul breaks out and runs wild, showing where both sin and righteousness, death and life, come from. He compares Adam and Christ, reasoning and disputing that Christ must come as a second Adam, to make us heirs of his righteousness, through a new spiritual birth, without our deserving it, even as the first Adam made us heirs of sin through ancestry, without our deserving it. By this it is evident (and absolutely proven) that no man can bring himself out of sin into righteousness, no more than he could have stopped himself from being born. And here is the proof; the very law of God, which truly would have helped if anything could help, not only brought no help, but increased sin. This is because the evil and poisoned nature is offended and utterly displeased with the law. The more the law forbids, the more the evil nature is provoked and kindled to fulfill and satisfy her lusts. So by the law we see clearly that we need Christ to justify us by his grace, and to overcome nature.
Chapter 6
In the sixth he sets forth the foremost and principal work of faith; the battle of the Spirit against the flesh – how the Spirit labors to kill the remnant of sin and lust that remain in the flesh after our justification. And this chapter teaches us that we are not so free from sin through faith that we should continue in idleness or carelessness; sure of ourselves as though there were now no more sin in us. Sin remains in us, even though it is not counted against us because of faith and the Spirit, which fight against it. So we have enough to do all the rest of our lives to tame our bodies, and to compel our members to obey the Spirit and not their own appetites so that we might be likened to Christ's death and resurrection, and might fulfill our baptism, which signifies the death of sins, and the new life of grace. This battle does not cease until the last breath, and until sin is completely slain by the death of the body.
This (I mean the taming of the body and so forth) we are able to do, says Paul, since we are under grace, and not the law. Then he explains what it means not to be under the law. The term ‘not to be under the law’ does not mean that every man may do as he desires, but rather is to have a free heart, renewed by the Spirit, so that he has inward desire of his own accord to do that which the law commands, without being compelled, as if there were no law. For grace, that is to say, God's favor, brings us the Spirit, and makes us love the law. So there is no more sin, nor is the law hostile toward us any longer, but is at one with and agrees with us, and we with it. To be under the law is to do the works of the law without the Spirit and grace: for as long as sin reigns in us through the law (meaning the law declares that we are under sin, and that sin has power and dominion over us) we cannot fulfill the law in our hearts. Because no man by nature favors the law or consents to it, or delights in it (which is exceeding great sin) he cannot submit to the law; that law being nothing less than the expressed will of God.
This is true freedom and liberty from sin and from the law; therefore Paul writes at the end of this chapter that it is freedom to desire to do good, and to live well without being compelled by the law. Since this freedom is a spiritual freedom, it does not destroy the law, but does that which the law requires, and fulfills the law. Therefore, desire and love satisfy the law, which no longer accuses us, no longer compels us, and no longer creates sinful cravings in us. It is as if you were in debt to another man, and were not able to pay; there are two ways by which you might fulfill the obligation. One would be if he released your obligation to him. The other would be if some other good man would pay in your place, and give you as much as you need satisfy the obligation. In this second way Christ made you free from the law; and so this is no wanton liberty. You should do nothing but those things for which you have been freed from the craving and debt of the law to do.
Chapter 7
In the seventh chapter he confirms this with an analogy of marriage. When a husband dies, the wife has liberty when they are separated by death to marry another man; since she is now free, she has the power to marry another man which was not permissible when she was married to her first husband. Like the woman, our consciences are bound by the law to our old Adam as long as he lives in us; for the law says that our hearts are bound to him, and that we cannot leave him. But when he is put to death and killed by the Spirit, then our conscience is free and at liberty; not so that the conscience will become idle, but so it will be joined to another, namely Christ, and bring forth the fruits of life. So we cannot fulfill the law when we are under the law, but are in debt to it and unable to pay that which the law requires. And to be free from the law is to fulfill it, and to pay that which the law demands, so that it can no longer demand anything of us.
Consequently Paul declares more generally about the nature of sin, and of the law, that through the law sin is revived, moves, and gathers strength. The more the old man (and the corrupt nature) is forbidden by and kept under the law, the more he becomes offended and displeased with it; knowing he cannot pay that which is required by the law. For sin is his nature, and of himself he cannot help but sin. Therefore the law is death, torment, and martyrdom to him. Not because the law is evil; but because the evil nature cannot stand that which is good, and cannot submit to the fact that the law should require any good thing of him; in the same way that a sick man cannot stand that anyone would ask him to run, leap, and do the things a healthy man would do.
So Paul concludes that where the law is truly understood, it does no more than to reveal our sin, and bring us to knowledge of ourselves; and in so doing kills us, and binds us to eternal damnation; it makes us debtors to the everlasting wrath of God. Anyone whose conscience is truly touched by the law feels and understands this completely. What great danger we were in before the law came, when we did not know what sin was, nor the wrath of God toward sinners, until the law had shown it! So you can see that a man must have something greater and more powerful than the law to make him righteous and safe. Those who do not understand the law in this way are blind, and presume by their works to satisfy the law.
Such people do not know that the law requires a free, willing, desirous, and loving heart. Therefore they do not see Moses face to face; the veil hangs between, and hides his face, so that they cannot behold the glory of his countenance, nor see that the law is spiritual and requires the heart. I may of my own strength refrain from causing my enemy hurt; but to love him with all my heart and to put wrath out of my mind, I cannot do of my own strength. I may refuse money of my own strength; but to put the love of riches out of my heart, I cannot do of my own strength. I may abstain from adultery outwardly of my own strength; but to keep my heart from lusting is as impossible for me as to choose whether I will hunger or thirst: and yet the law requires these things. So by a man's own strength the law can never be fulfilled; to do this we must have God's favor, and his Spirit, purchased by Christ's blood.
When I say a man may do many things outwardly which are contrary to his heart, understand that man is driven by many appetites, and the greatest appetite overcomes the least, and carries the man away violently with her. When I desire vengeance, but also fear the consequences that are likely to result, if the fear is greater, I will abstain. But if the appetite that desires vengeance is greater, I will do the deed. We can see this from the experience of many murderers and thieves, who, though they place themselves in great peril of death, do the same things again after the danger is past. Common women fulfill their lusts because they have no fear or shame. Still others, having the same appetites in their hearts, abstain outwardly, or do these things secretly, being overcome with fear and shame; and so it is with all other appetites.
Furthermore the apostle declares that the Spirit and the flesh fight a battle in each man, and he points to himself as an example so that we might learn how to properly kill sin in ourselves. He calls both the Spirit and the flesh a law. As the nature of God's law is to drive, compel, and create cravings, so the flesh drives, compels, and creates cravings; raging against the Spirit to have her lusts satisfied. On the other hand, the Spirit drives, cries, and fights against the flesh to satisfy his desire. This strife lasts in us as long as we live; more in some men, less in others, depending on whether the Spirit or the flesh is stronger in them. Every man is both Spirit and flesh, and fights against himself until sin is utterly slain, and he becomes altogether spiritual.
Chapter 8
In the eighth chapter he comforts such fighters not to despair because of the flesh, nor to think that God favors them any less. He shows that the sin that remains in us does not hurt us, for there is no danger to those that are in Christ; who do not walk according to the flesh, but fight against it. And he defines the nature of the flesh, and of the Spirit; and shows how the Spirit comes by Christ and makes us spiritual; tames, subdues, and puts to death the flesh; and assures us that we are nevertheless the beloved sons of God (though sin rages ever so much in us) as long as we follow the Spirit, and fight against sin, to kill and it and put it to death. And because nothing is as effective at putting the flesh to death as the cross and tribulation, the Spirit comforts us in our trials and afflictions, making intercession to God for us powerfully with groanings that surpass a man's understanding, so that they may not be comprehended. Even the creation mourns with us out of the great desire it has to see us loosed from sin and corruption of the flesh. So the purpose of these three chapters, six, seven, and eight, is to drive us to the true work of faith, which is to kill the old man and put to death the flesh.
Chapters 9, 10 and 11
In the ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters he speaks of God's predestination; from where all of this comes; whether we shall believe or not; be loosed from sin or not. By this predestination our justification and salvation are taken completely out of our hands, and placed in the hands of God alone; which is absolutely necessary. We are so weak and so uncertain that if it were up to us, no man would be saved; the devil, no doubt, would deceive us. But God is sure of his predestination, and that no man of himself can reject him or receive him; therefore have we hope and trust against sin.
Here is a word of caution to unquiet, busy, and high-climbing souls about how far they will go by reason and intellect alone when they begin to search out the bottomless secrets of God's predestination, wondering whether they have been predestined or not. They will either end up cast down headlong in desperation, or commit themselves to chance and become careless. But follow the order of this letter, and draw close to Christ, and learn to understand what the law and the gospel are, and the place they both hold; that you may through the one know yourself, and how that you have no choice but to sin, and through the other know the grace of Christ. Then make sure to fight against sin and the flesh, as the first seven chapters teach you. After that, when you come to the eighth chapter, and are under the cross and suffering tribulation, the necessity of predestination will become increasingly clear, and you will understand how precious it is. For unless you have born the cross of adversity and temptation, and have been brought to the edge of desperation, indeed, to hell’s gates, you can never meddle with the doctrine of predestination without doing yourself harm, and without creating secret wrath and grudging inwardly against God; for it will not be possible for you to think of God as righteous and just. Therefore Adam must be well put to death, and human intellect utterly brought to nothing, before you may understand this; before you drink so strong a wine. Watch yourself and do not try drinking wine while you are still milk-fed. For there is a time, measure and age for every kind of learning, and in Christ there is a childhood, in which a man must be content with milk for a season, until he becomes strong and grows up into a perfect man in Christ, and is able to eat more solid food.
Chapter 12
In the twelfth chapter he gives exhortations. Paul orders all of his letters in this manner; first teaching Christ and faith, then exhorting us to good works and the continual putting to death of the flesh. Likewise here he teaches legitimate good works and true service of God. He calls all men priests, not to offer up money and beasts, as was the manner in the time of the law, but their own bodies, by killing and putting to death the lusts of the flesh. After that, he describes the outward lifestyle of Christian men, how they should behave themselves in spiritual things, how to teach, preach, and rule in the congregation of Christ, to serve one another, to suffer all things patiently, leaving the infliction of vengeance to God: in summary, how a Christian man should behave himself with regard to all men; friend, foe, or otherwise. These are the true works of a Christian man, which come from faith. For faith, wherever it is found, never takes a holiday, nor will it allow any man to be idle.
Chapter 13
In the thirteenth chapter he teaches us to honor earthly authority. For even though man's law and ordinance do not make anyone good before God, nor justify him in the heart, they are still ordained for the furtherance of civilization, maintaining peace, punishing evil, and defending good. Therefore the good should honor earthly authority, and hold it in esteem, though they do not need it because they would abstain from evil of their own accord. Indeed they would do what is good without man's law, according to the law of the Spirit, which governs the heart and guides it to the will of God. Finally, he reveals love and knits all together in love. Love of her own nature bestows all that she has, and even herself, on that which is loved. You do not need to tell a kind mother to be loving to her only son; much less does spiritual love, which has eyes given her of God, need man's law to teach her to do her duty. And as in the beginning of the letter, the apostle puts forth Christ as the cause and author of our righteousness and salvation, here even setting him forth as an example to be imitated; that as he has done to us we should do one to another.
Chapter 14
In the fourteenth chapter he teaches us to deal gently with the consciences of those who are weak in the faith, which do not yet understand the liberty of Christ perfectly enough; and to show them Christian love; and not to use the freedom of faith to hinder anyone, but to further and edify the weak. For where there is no such consideration, it leads to argument and the despising of the gospel. It is better to be patient with the weak for a while, until they become strong, than that the teaching of the gospel should trampled on. This is a work of love, indeed; where love is perfect, there must be such a respect of the weak, which Christ commanded and charged above all things. In the fifteenth chapter he sets forth Christ to be followed again; that according to his example we should also bear with others who are yet weak, those which are frail, open sinners, the unlearned, the unpracticed, and those with detestable manners; and not cast them away, but be patient with them until they grow stronger and exhort them in the mean time. For this is how Christ dealt with people in the gospel, and now deals with us; daily suffering our imperfection, weakness, lifestyle, and manners which are not yet conformed to the doctrine of the gospel, which smell of the flesh, and sometimes erupt into outward deeds. In conclusion, he wishes them an increase of faith, peace, and joy of conscience; praises them, and commits them to God, and expands upon his office and administration in the gospel; and carefully, and with great discretion, asks for financial aid for the poor saints of Jerusalem: all the while speaking and dealing with them in pure love.
Conclusion
We find in this letter absolutely everything a Christian man or woman should know. By it we can understand what the law, the gospel, sin, grace, faith, righteousness, Christ, God, good works, love, hope, and the cross are; it touches on everything pertaining to the core of the Christian faith, how a Christian man should behave himself toward all men, whether perfect or sinner, good or bad, strong or weak, friend or foe; and ultimately how to behave toward God, and toward ourselves also. And all of this is clearly based in scripture, and demonstrated by his own example, and that of the fathers, and of the prophets, so that we could scarcely desire more. Evidently, Paul's idea was to explain briefly in this letter the whole teaching of Christ's gospel, and to prepare an introduction to the Old Testament. For without a doubt, whoever understands this letter perfectly in his heart will know the light and the meaning of the Old Testament. Let every man, without exception, study this letter diligently, and continually remember it night and day, until he is fully acquainted with it.
The last chapter is a chapter of recommendation, mingled with an admonition; that we should beware of the traditions and doctrine of men which entice the simple with nonsensical arguments and teaching that is not from the gospel, in order to draw them away from Christ – making them weak and feeble – and into worthless ceremony (as Paul calls it in the epistle to the Galatians). They do this so that they may live in comfortable circumstances and be received with the authority of Christ (indeed, above that of Christ) and sit in the temple of God (meaning in the consciences of men) where only God, his word and his Christ should sit. Compare the doctrine of men to scripture, and see whether they agree or not. And commit yourself completely to Christ; and he will, with his Holy Spirit, dwell in your soul in all his fullness. Amen.
The ultimate purpose of this letter is to prove that a man is justified by faith alone; and to whomever denies this truth, not only this letter and all of Paul writings, but the whole scripture, is so locked up that he will never understand it to his soul's health. And to bring a man to the understanding and feeling that faith alone justifies, Paul proves that the whole nature of man is so poisoned and corrupt, so dead concerning godly living or godly thinking, that it is impossible for him to keep the law in the sight of God. He cannot love it or of love and willingness do it as naturally as a man eats or drinks, unless he is made alive again and healed through faith. Justification means nothing other than reconciliation to God, being restored to his favor, having your sins forgiven you. When I say God justifies us, understand that God for Christ's sake and merit shows us his mercy, favor, and grace, and forgives us our sins. And when I say Christ justifies us, understand that Christ alone has redeemed, bought, and delivered us from the wrath of God and damnation, and has by his works alone brought us the mercy, favor, and grace of God, and the forgiveness of our sins. And when I say that faith justifies, understand that faith and trust in the truth of God and in the mercy promised us for Christ's sake, and in his works alone quiets the conscience and assures us that our sins are forgiven, and that we are in the favor of God.
Furthermore, compare Christ's works to your own works. Christ's works alone justify you, and satisfy God’s wrath for your sin, and not your own works. They alone quiet your conscience, and make you sure that your sins are forgiven, and not your own works. The promise of mercy is made to you for the sake of Christ's works, and not for your own works. Therefore, having seen that God does not promise that your own works will save you, faith in your own works can never quiet your conscience, nor assure that your sins have been forgiven when God comes to judge us and call us to reckoning. Above this, my own works can never satisfy the law, or pay the debt I owe it: for what I owe the law is to love it with all my heart, soul, power, and might; which I am never able to pay while I am in the flesh. I cannot even begin to love the law unless I am first sure by faith that God loves me and forgives me. Finally, when we say that Faith alone justifies, it should offend no man. For if this is true, that Christ alone redeemed us, Christ alone bore our sins and satisfied the wrath of God, and purchased the favor of God for us, then it must be true that trust in Christ's merit alone and in the promises of God the Father alone (made to us for Christ's sake) can quiet the conscience and assure us that our sins are forgiven. And when it is argued that a man must repent, forsake sin, and have no reason to sin anymore (as near as he can) and love the law of God, and therefore faith alone does not justify, I answer, ‘that and similar arguments come to nothing, and are like this –I must repent and be sorry; the gospel must be preached to me, and I must believe it, or else I cannot partake of mercy, which Christ has merited for me. Therefore Christ alone can not justify me; and Christ alone has not satisfied the wrath of God for my sins.’ This is a ridiculous argument, as is the other.
Now go, reader, and according to the order of Paul's writing, do. First, examine yourself diligently in the law of God, and realize that your damnation is just. Secondly, turn your eyes to Christ, and see there the exceeding mercy of your most kind and loving Father. Third, remember that Christ did not make this atonement so that you should anger God again; neither did he die for your sins, that you should continue to live in them; nor did he cleanse you that you should return, as a pig, to your old puddle again; but he did these things that you should be a new creature, and live a new life in the will of God, and not of the flesh. And be diligent, so that by your own negligence and ungrateful heart you do not lose this favor and mercy again. Farewell .
