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Luther feels that it is through Christ that man can attain salvation and not through soul or spiritual deeds alone. By Christ, he was probably referring to one's faith in Lord. He writes: He writes:
One thing, and only one thing, is necessary for Christian life, righteousness, and freedom. That one thing is the most holy Word of God, the gospel of Christ, as Christ says, John 11[:25], "I am the resurrection and the life: he who believes in me, though he die yet shall he live"; and John 8[:36], "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." He felt that good deeds are important in this life because they offer a chance to keep ourselves busy but if we focused on things such as strengthening of faith more than our good actions, we could buy salvation for not only ourselves but also for others. "...while, if they had been imbued with faith, they might have done great things for their own and others' salvation, at the same cost which they now waste in abuse of the gifts of God." Luther's view of freedom has often been a topic of lengthy debate and discussion. Many are unable to align themselves with his good deeds are useless philosophy because these deeds are nevertheless important; if not for salvation then for betterment of society. However since Luther was primarily focusing on salvation and found faith to be the only true measure of one's eligibility for heaven, we can excuse the flaws in his arguments and not attack the philosophical loopholes that his writings are plagued with.
Luther maintained that Christian liberty is prescribed in the word of God which is "the gospel of God concerning his Son, who was made flesh, suffered, rose from the dead, and was glorified through the Spirit who sanctifies." Luther felt that one must have immense faith in the word; in the promises of God because this faith alone takes the man to his destination but good deeds may not be able to have the same effect. Good deeds without faith are thus in simple words, useless. Luther further writes:
Christ is full of grace, life, and salvation. The soul is full of sins, death, and damnation. Now let faith come between them and sins, death, and damnation will be Christ's, while grace, life, and salvation will be the soul's; for if Christ is a bridegroom, he must take upon himself the things which are his bride's and bestow upon her things that are his.
In Concerning Christian Liberty, Luther feels that faith alone in Christ is the only device for salvation. He quoted various passages from the gospel to prove his point including: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark xvi. 16). And Paul's words: "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (Rom. x. 10).
References
Lutheran Book of Worship (Minneapolis: Augsburg; Philadelphia: Board of Publication, LCA, 1978)
The Freedom of a Christian (1520), LW 31:344.
Karl Marx, Critique of Hegel's "Philosophy of Right," ed. Joseph O'Malley (Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1970) 138.
The Bondage of the Will (1525), LW 33:67.
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1911
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