“By Grace ... Trough Faith” — the Luther’s Concept of Justification of a Sinner: Exegetical and Hermeneutical Perspective

Abstract

The article analyzes the issue of justification trough faith on the basis of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification and two commentaries by Martin Luther — Lectures on Romans (1516) and Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians (1535). The discussed aspects of justification are mentioned in the Joint Declaration in point 11: justification as forgiveness of sins (cf. Rom 3:23-25); as liberation from the dominating power of sin and death (Rom 5:12-21); as liberation from the curse of the law (Gal 3:10-14); as acceptance into communion with God: already now, but then fully in God’s coming kingdom (Rom 5:1f); and as unity with Christ and with his death and resurrection (Rom 6:5). Each of these aspects ends with a summary showing the similarities and differences between Luther’s approach to justification and the interpretation of the doctrine of justification in the Joint Declaration.