Martin Luther on Galatians 5:6

Verſe. 6. For in Ieſus Chriſte neither circumciſion auaileth any thing, neither vncircumciſion, but Faith vvhich vvorketh by loue. A true and a liuely Faith.That is to ſay, Faith which is not fained nor hypocritical, but true and liuely. This is that faith which exerciſeth & requireth good works through loue. It is as much to ſay as: He that will be a true Chriſtian in deede, or one of Chriſtes kingdom, muſt be a true beleuer. Now, he beleueth not truely if workes of charitie folow not his Faith. So on both hands,Paul shutteth all hypocrites out of the church of God both on the right hand & on the left. as well on ye right hand as on ye left, he ſhutteth hypocrites out of Chriſtes kingdom. On the left hand he ſhutteth out the Iewes, and all ſuch as will worke their owne ſaluation, ſaying: In Chriſt neither circumciſion, that is to ſay: no works, no ſeruice, no worſhipping, no kinde of life in the world, but faith wtout any truſt in works or merites auaileth before God. On the right hand he ſhutteth out all ſlouthfull and idle perſons, which ſay: if faith iuſtifie without works, then let vs worke nothing, but let vs onely beleue and doe what we liſt. Not ſo ye enemies of grace. Paule ſayeth otherwiſe. And although it be true that onely faith iuſtifieth, yet he ſpeaketh here of Faith in an other reſpect, that is to ſay, that after it hath iuſtified, it is not idle, but occupied and exerciſed in working through loue.The vvhole life of a Chriſtian. Paule therfore in this place ſetteth forth the whole life of a Chriſtian man, namely, that inwardly it conſiſteth in faith towards God, and outwardly in charitie and good works towardes our neighbour. So that a man is a perfect Chriſt an inwardly through faith before God, who hath no neede of our workes, and outwardly before men, to whom our Faith profiteth nothing, but our charitie or our works. Therfore when we haue heard or vnderſtād of this forme of Chriſtian life: to witte, that it is faith and charitie (as I haue ſayd), it is not yet declared what Faith or what charitie is: for this is an other queſtion. For as touching faith or the inward nature, force, and vſe of Faith, he hath ſpoken before. Where he ſhewed that it is our righteouſnes, or rather our iuſtification before God. Here he ioyneth it with charitie and workes, that is to ſay, he ſpeaketh of the externall office thereof, which is to ſtirre vs vp to doe good workes, and to bring forth in vs the frutes of charitie to the profite of our neighbour.