#104 The Works of Grace

From Meditations on the Epistle to the Romans, by Samuel Froehlich

By the doctrine of justification of the sinner by faith alone, the judgment of condemnation is upon the proud Pharisee who wants to be justified by the works of the law. However, there is great comfort for the poor sinner in it because he does not have to bring anything with him for his justification except a broken heart, a broken spirit, and faith in Christ, the Crucified. Nevertheless, this faith and justification by faith do not extend to all of the life that comes afterwards, and the works of grace (of the new divine nature) are not rejected like the works of the law. These new works are just as required for salvation as the old works are inadequate for justification. He who has received Christ, the image of God, that Adam lost can and must be minded and walk as Christ was upon earth. That is not a difficult art. However, he who does not have Christ in him by the Holy Spirit is not a child of God and consequently is not an heir of God by Christ, the inheritance cannot be earned legally. Instead, it depends on the adoptions of sons, which results from the new birth and must then be shown by new obedience under the law of the Spirit or liberty. Then it must be shown whether the man of God who has been pardoned and set up again from Adam's fall will do better than Adam did, for the children of God, in whom the image of God has been renewed by Christ, are tested just like Adam. They can do all things by Christ who indwells them. That is why those who do not have Christ in their spirit say it is impossible to live like Jesus Christ was. However, man's last justification before God certainly takes place by works and not faith alone."