Two Kinds Of Righteousness Summary

In these readings, Luther expounds upon the true nature of Scripture and the gospel, and explores the idea of righteousness and its effect on human behavior. The first reading, What to Look for and Expect in the Gospels, argues that the entire Bible teaches the gospel, the good message about Jesus. As a result, it defines a Christian’s relationship with Jesus and his life, with the gift and example of Jesus. In the second reading, Two Kinds of Righteousness, Luther examines two different types of righteousness: the alien and the proper. Both are a result of Christ’s grace, and the passive righteousness produces the active. Through both of these readings, Luther distinguishes two components of faith: that part which is given by Christ, and that part which is an active expression of the gospel.
Luther redefines the purpose of the Bible in What to Look for and Expect in the Gospels, transitioning the view of Scripture from legalistic instructions to an exploration of Christ’s nature and message.
He defines the gospel as the “overwhelming goodness of God,” asserting that, throughout the Bible, God reveals the great story of his Son through the writings of many prophets and apostles. This interpretation leads to a new understanding of Jesus’ role; he is no longer a didactic instructor like Moses, but a gift to mankind and an example for proper Christian living. Luther argues that the former component enables the latter, that having “Christ as the foundation and chief blessing of [our] salvation” nourishes faith so that we may follow and imitate his example. Christ’s new guiding (rather than commanding) role introduces Luther’s belief in the personal applicability of Scripture; the gospel is not simply a structure for societal behavior, but a personal guide so that we may “read and hear the gospels
profitably.” Like the “twofold aspect of Christ” explained in the first reading, Luther creates an analogous system to describe the difference between passive and active righteousness in Two Kinds of Righteousness. The passive/alien righteousness is a gift from Christ through salvation, justified through faith. This is the base of all of our own actual righteousness, filling the void of righteousness resulting the fall. Like the gift of Christ through the gospel, this is a component of our salvation. Just as Christ as an example is derived from Christ as a gift, our own active righteousness is a derivative of the alien righteousness received through Christ. In our active righteousness, we can follow Christ’s example through the three ways we seek justice. First, we can “seek vengeance and judgment from the representatives of God.” In the next step, we forgo vengeance and replace it with nearly incomprehensible selflessness, following Jesus’ commands in the Sermon on the Mount. In the penultimate group, “zealots” follow Christ’s example by punishing wrongdoers with a love of justice. This is the ultimate goal in following Christ’s example with our own righteousness. Luther claims that there is no righteousness apart from knowing God, since our proper righteousness is derived from the alien righteousness received with salvation. However, Luther defines this proper righteousness as “that manner of life spent profitably in good works” with three components: suppressing the desires of the flesh, loving one’s neighbor, and fearing God. Though the third component explicitly requires God, it seems feasible for one to do such good works as described in the general definition. Inevitably, these works do not make one a Christian, since faith is required in concert. However, the modern view of humanity is that mankind, to some extent, possesses the capability to do good and has some measure of good in his nature. Though this view was likely not as common in Luther’s time, his position seems extreme, arguing that no one apart from God can be righteous or do good works.