Joachim Magdeburg.

and says: "That we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness that is pleasing to Him, all the days of our life." As the Apostle Paul also says about this: "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2.

Also, we know and teach, God be praised, that we Christians are baptized for this purpose, and in Baptism are cleansed and washed of sins with the blood of Jesus Christ, and are endowed with the Holy Spirit, so that we may live for God and righteousness, no longer serve sin, and walk in a new life. As Paul deals with this extensively in the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 6.

Furthermore, we know and teach, by the grace of God, that right and proper good works are not contrary to faith in Christ. Indeed, works are only good works and are called such, before God and all Christians, which proceed from true faith and are done for pure obedience and gratitude toward God, and without any trust in one's own merit. Therefore, only true believers in Christ—and not unbelievers or those who rely on works—do or can do good works.

Finally, we know and teach, God be praised, that those who persist and continue intentionally in public sins and shame—such as in idolatry, blasphemy, contempt for God’s Word and the Holy Sacraments, sedition, usury, robbing and murdering, gluttony and drunkenness, whoredom