The Lutheran preface- religious understanding and human freedom In the Lutheran preface, Martin Luther develops a unique religious understanding of human freedom, grounded in the biblical concept of justification by faith and emphasizing the paradoxical coexistence of divine sovereignty and human responsibility, which challenges both the medieval idea of meritorious works and the modern notion of autonomous will. Luther's view of human freedom is closely tied to his notion of justification by faith, which emphasizes the role of God’s grace and Christ’s righteousness in saving sinners from eternal damnation. According to Luther, Humans are not capable of earning or deserving salvation through their own efforts or merits, but only by trusting God’s promise of forgiveness and salvation through Christ. “...they fall into error declaring that faith is not enough, that we must do “works” if we are to become upright and attain salvation.” This radical shift from the medieval emphasis on good works and penance to the primacy of faith in God’s grace has profound implications for Luther’s understanding of human freedoms as it challenges the idea that …show more content…
On one hand, Luther stresses the absolute sovereignty of God extends over all things and that human beings are unable to save themselves. On the other hand , Luther believed that humans are responsible for their own choices and actions , and that they should strive to live according to God’s will. “...no one can deliver himself from sin, or attain righteousness by means of works, any more than he can prevent his own physical birth.” No act of good that any human does is divine enough to “earn” a spot in heaven in Luther's eyes. It is all about where your heart lies and your true intentions that people can’t see or