Theological Origins of Modernity

luther and the storm of faith 121
must be alone with His bride in His private chamber, and all the family
and household must be shunted away. But later on, when the Bridegroom
opens the door and comes out, then let the servants return to take care of
them and serve them food and drink.” 83 As a result, man becomes one with
Christ: “Christian righteousness is . . . that righteousness by which Christ
lives in us, not the righteousness that is in our own person. Th erefore when
it is necessary to discuss Christian righteousness, the person must be completely
rejected. For if I pay attention to the person or speak of the person,
then, whether intentionally or unintentionally on my part, the person becomes
a doer of works who is subject to the Law. But here Christ and my
conscience must become one body, so that nothing remains in my sight but
Christ, crucifi ed and risen. . . . Th e person does indeed live, but not in itself
or for its own person.” 84 Th is is not a mere conjunction but a true marriage.
For Luther, “Christ is my ‘form,’ which adorns my faith as color or light
adorns a wall. Th is fact has to be expounded in this crude way, for there is
no spiritual way for us to grasp the idea that Christ clings and dwells in us
as closely and intimately as light or whiteness clings to a wall. ‘Christ,’ he
[Paul] says, ‘is fi xed and cemented to me and abides in me. Th e life that I
now live, He lives in me. Indeed, Christ Himself is the life that I now live.
In this way, therefore, Christ and I are one.’” 85 Th e human and fallible self
remains, but “I,” this new “I” is also there and is godlike: “‘I do indeed live;
and yet not I live, but Christ lives in me. Th ere is a double life: my own,
which is natural or animate; and an alien life, that of Christ in me.” 86
As a result of this doubling, the individual who is justifi ed by faith does
not thereby transcend his humanity. He remains a sinful human being,
but at the same time is much more than this; he is in fact the divine will.
On this point Luther was unwilling to follow the path of the more radical
reformers, who believed that justifi cation produced perfection and saintliness.
Luther was convinced rather that the natural vices (the old Adam) remain
in us aft er we have received faith. 87 Th e unifi ed work of faith includes
not merely justifi cation but the work of putting the old Adam to death and
controlling the fl esh, what Luther sometimes calls sanctifi cation. 88 Th is
purgation of the old Adam is facilitated by works of charity and penance,
for it is necessary to place a burden on the old man to keep him in line. 89
“Th ese works reduce the body to subjection and purify it of its evil lusts,”
so that the body may join in loving God and serving others. 90
Serving others for Luther is not as easy as it might fi rst appear. Th e principal
goal of human life is scripturally determined by the fi rst commandment,
to love the lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind,
and with all your soul. Such love, as we have seen, is only possible for those
who are infused with grace. Such people become the dwelling place of the