Martin Luther (10 November 1483–18 February 1546) was a German professor of theology, composer, priest, monk, and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation. In ‘A Treatise on Good Works,’ Luther presents a clear and accessible introduction to his deeply influential theology. Offering simple and direct principles for Christian living, he defines good works as all activities intended to help maintain the church. The work preaches deep and profound moral lessons to human beings everywhere. Luther preaches that good work requires complete faith in God. For the reward of kindness to be received either in this world or the hereafter, one must have complete trust in oneself and in the mightiness of God.
Luther's transformational idea of justification by faith alone was often misunderstood and misrepresented in the early years of the Reformation. In 1520, with his Wittenberg congregation in mind, Luther set out to clarify the biblical foundation of good works. In doing so he recast the very definitions of ‘sacred’ and ‘secular’ both for his own generation and ours. The book is the second of an occasional series of guides to key Reformation treatises.
Luther’s main goal was to commend a new, down-to-earth piety to all Christians. This piety was new, because at its center was a radically different meaning of good works that would transform the way believers practiced their faith. But while Luther maintains that good works are important, he also argues that salvation only comes from faith in God’s grace.