It's December 2nd, 1520. We're sitting on one of the wooden benches in the Stard Kirka in Vittenberg.

Martin Luther is about to preach an advent sermon. There are two kinds of faith.

First, a faith in which you believe that Christ is such a man as he has proclaimed in all the

Gospels, but do not believe that he is such a man for you.

And are in doubt whether you have any part in him.

You think, yes, he is such a man to others. But who knows that he is such to me, and that I may expect the same

from him and may confide in him.

Behold this faith is nothing. It does not receive Christ nor enjoy him. Neither can it feel any love and affection for him or from him. It is a

faith about Christ and not in Christ. This kind of faith evil men have, even the devils have.

This is the vain and wicked faith now taught by the pernicious synagogues of Satan.

The universities, together with the monasteries, and all papists say that this faith is sufficient to make Christians.

In this way, they virtually deny true saving faith

and make Christians into heathens.

That alone can be called Christian faith, which believes without wavering that Christ is the Savior, not only to Peter and to the Saints,

but also to you.

Your salvation does not depend on the fact that you believe Christ to be the savior of others,

but that he is the savior to you and has become your own.

Such a faith will work in you love for Christ, and joy in him, and good works

will naturally follow. If they do not, faith is surely not present for where faith is there the holy ghost is and he works love and good works in us

Alas and good works in us.

Alas, this true faith is condemned by the rebellious, by the Pope, bishops, priests, monks, and the universities, they call it arrogance to desire

to have a faith like the Saints.

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