A Little Luther Joy on Ascension

Against this doctrine of faith and salvation, the devil, his apostles and henchmen, are fighting with all their might.  They distort this doctrine with there heretical marginal notes and maintain, Here is how you must understand this article:  He that believes and does good works shall be saved.  That's why it is doubly important to be fully equipped to analyze their deception and reply, I know very well that genuine faith is active in good works, and that if there are no good works, then true faith does not exist; but opening the gates of heaven and being saved are things that only faith can accomplish; works cannot do that.  I must first have the all-important gift of salvation.  But when, through faith in Christ, my sins have been forgiven and the gates of heaven opened to me, so that I am saved, then I, too, can say:  fiat justitia [become just], "You must live a godly life and do what is right." - preached in the afternoon of Ascension Day at the parish Church, 1533.  House Postil II:138.