What does it mean to be righteous? Some may say that it means to follow moral and just laws, but Martin Luther felt that this definition was quite lacking. Luther’s sermon entitled Two Kinds of Righteousness, written in 1519, explains Luther’s interpretation of the word. Luther states that just as there are two types of sin that humans commit, there are two types of righteousness as well to counterbalance each other. As a Christian, one should take note of the types of righteousness and their corresponding types of sin in order to grow stronger within their faith.
Luther opens his sermon by introducing the first form of righteousness: alien righteousness. Luther explains that alien righteousness is the righteousness of Christ and is given to Christians when they are baptized and repentant. Christ’s righteousness becomes the righteousness of Christians through their faith and as Luther goes on to explain, “all that [Christ] has becomes ours; rather, he himself becomes ours” (Luther 87). The righteousness of Christ “is primary [and] is … the source of all our own actual righteousness” (Luther 88).
Just as humans gained original sin from Adam and Eve, we have lost our original righteousness in …show more content…
Venial sins are sins against others as opposed to God. Instead of being directly against God, venial sins travel through a ‘middleman’ before they are directed toward God. Proper righteousness can be compared to this, but in the opposite direction. Instead of sin being passed through those of whom we sin against, alien righteousness is given to us from God so that we may pass it on to others as proper righteousness. As opposed to alien righteousness, proper righteousness is not just given to us. In order to gain proper righteousness, we must live our lives without seeking our own good, and seeking for the good of others, just like
Luther opens his sermon by introducing the first form of righteousness: alien righteousness. Luther explains that alien righteousness is the righteousness of Christ and is given to Christians when they are baptized and repentant. Christ’s righteousness becomes the righteousness of Christians through their faith and as Luther goes on to explain, “all that [Christ] has becomes ours; rather, he himself becomes ours” (Luther 87). The righteousness of Christ “is primary [and] is … the source of all our own actual righteousness” (Luther 88).
Just as humans gained original sin from Adam and Eve, we have lost our original righteousness in …show more content…
Venial sins are sins against others as opposed to God. Instead of being directly against God, venial sins travel through a ‘middleman’ before they are directed toward God. Proper righteousness can be compared to this, but in the opposite direction. Instead of sin being passed through those of whom we sin against, alien righteousness is given to us from God so that we may pass it on to others as proper righteousness. As opposed to alien righteousness, proper righteousness is not just given to us. In order to gain proper righteousness, we must live our lives without seeking our own good, and seeking for the good of others, just like