--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When some say that good works are…" description: "\"When some say that good works are forbidden when we preach faith alone, it is as if I said to a sick man: \"If you had health, you would have the use of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/849/martin-luther-106_faith_when-some-say-that-good-works-are-forbid_2673513.jpg" --- # When some say that good works are forbidden when we preach… ![“When some say that good works are forbidden when we preach faith alone, it is as if I said to a sick man: "If you had health, you would have the use of all your limbs; but without health, the works of all your limbs are nothing"; and he wanted to infer that I had forbidden the works of all his…” quote by Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/849/martin-luther-106_faith_when-some-say-that-good-works-are-forbid_2673513.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/849/martin-luther-106_faith_when-some-say-that-good-works-are-forbid_2673513.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/849/martin-luther-106_faith_when-some-say-that-good-works-are-forbid_2673513.jpg) > “When some say that good works are forbidden when we preach faith alone, it is as if I said to a sick man: "If you had health, you would have the use of all your limbs; but without health, the works of all your limbs are nothing"; and he wanted to infer that I had forbidden the works of all his limbs.” [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that moral actions are meaningless without genuine faith, just as a healthy body is needed for limbs to be useful. **In simple terms:** Good deeds need faith to matter. Key Takeaway Align actions with belief. Themes faith morality purpose hypocrisy Mood reflective serious Type theological ethical When to use this quote - personal counseling - religious teaching - ethical decision making Key Concepts theology ethical philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Can faith exist without deeds? - How do we balance belief and action? A Different Perspective Faith alone may not guarantee ethical behavior without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Faith Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-said-938208/) [Forbidden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forbidden/) [Forbidden Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forbidden-works-2521508/) [Good work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-work/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Limbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limbs/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Preach Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preach-faith-1085252/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) [Sick man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick-man/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Works Forbidden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/works-forbidden-2521507/) ## Related quotes > [Therefore, when some say good works are forbidden when we preach faith alone, it is as if I said to a sick man: If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/therefore-when-some-say-good-works-are-forbidden-when-we-preach-faith/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“When some people say, as they do, that when we preach faith alone good works are forbidden, it is as if I were to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/when-some-people-say-as-they-do-that-when-we-preach-faith-alone-good/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The Church seems to totter to its fall, almost all life extinct. 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It said that the fear that stops us from doing what we really want, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/effrosyni-moschoudi/it-was-all-about-taking-the-leap-of-faith-it-said-that-the-fear-that/) [Effrosyni Moschoudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/effrosyni-moschoudi/) > [“As a journalist, I have seen things that have scarred me. I have interacted with people who have haunted me. I have heard things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/as-a-journalist-i-have-seen-things-that-have-scarred-me-i-have/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [I should have more faith," he said; "I ought to know by this time that when a fact appears opposed to a long train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/i-should-have-more-faith-he-said-i-ought-to-know-by-this-time-that/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Live as if you have faith,” she said, “and faith shall be given to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paullina-simons/live-as-if-you-have-faith-she-said-and-faith-shall-be-given-to-you/) [Paullina Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paullina-simons/) > [Have faith in me Cause there are things that I've seen I don't believe So cling to what you know and never let go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-day-to-remember/have-faith-in-me-cause-there-are-things-that-i-ve-seen-i-don-t/) [A Day To Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-day-to-remember/) ## More by Martin Luther > [“It was easy for you to say these things, since you either knew you were not writing to Luther, but for the general public,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-was-easy-for-you-to-say-these-things-since-you-either-knew-you/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [In a delightful garden, sowing, planting or digging are not hardship but are done with a zeal and a certain pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/in-a-delightful-garden-sowing-planting-or-digging-are-not-hardship/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [If you could understand a single grain of wheat you would die of wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-you-could-understand-a-single-grain-of-wheat-you-would-die-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. 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But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-faith-in-christ-does-not-free-us-from-works-but-from-false/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The works of the righteous would be mortal sins if they would not be feared as mortal sins by the righteous themselves out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-works-of-the-righteous-would-be-mortal-sins-if-they-would-not-be/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine and women. 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The spirit or soul… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/antichrist-is-the-pope-and-the-turk-muslim-together-a-beast-full-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [It is not the imitation that makes sons; it is sonship that makes imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-is-not-the-imitation-that-makes-sons-it-is-sonship-that-makes/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) [Explore all 1,292 Martin Luther quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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