Quotes from Martin Luther

Gnatho was the attendant of Thraso in the Eunuchus of Terence, one of Luther's favorite plays; cf. Luther's Works, 13, p. 182; 23, p. 217.

If all men have "free will" and yet all without exception are under God's wrath, then it follows that "free will" leads them in only one direction—"ungodliness and unrighteousness" (i.e., wickedness). So where is the power of "free will" helping them to do good? If "free will" exists, it does not seem to be able to help men to salvation because it still leaves them under the wrath of God.

We have come to understand why it is so necessary to repeat the admonition of this verse. When Satan cannot suppress the preaching of the Gospel by force he tries to accomplish his purpose by striking the ministers of the Gospel with poverty.

what cruel and bloodthirsty beasts are smug presumption, vain-glory, pride, and carelessness

The law is not made for a righteous man" (1 Tim. i. 9). This is that Christian liberty, our faith, the effect of which is, not that we should be careless or lead a bad life, but that no one should need the law or works for justification and salvation.

We have come to understand why it is so necessary to repeat the admonition of this verse. When Satan cannot suppress the preaching of the Gospel by force he tries to accomplish his purpose by striking the ministers of the Gospel with poverty. He curtails their income to such an extent that they are forced out of the ministry because they cannot live by the Gospel. Without ministers to proclaim the Word of God the people go wild like savage beasts.

Sirach calls the people who dwelt at Shechem a foolish people (Ecclus. 50:26), just as the Germans are accustomed to judge concerning the Swabians and the Bavarians. They were a proud people given to luxury.

Hence it is great wisdom to know that we are nothing but sin, so that we do not think of sin as lightly as do the pope's theologians, who define sin as "anything said, done, or thought against the Law of God." Define sin, rather, on the basis of this psalm, as all that is born of father and mother, before a man is old enough to say, do, or think anything.

And if what they claim were true, why have Holy Scripture at all? Of what use is Scripture?

Unless a sharp distinction is maintained between the purpose and function of the Law and the Gospel, the Christian doctrine cannot be kept free from error.

And so Paul says that Abraham's faith was imputed to him for righteousness, because by it he gave glory to God; and that to us also, for the same reason, it shall be imputed for righteousness, if we believe (Rom. iv.).

For His righteousness rises above the sins of all men; His life is more powerful than all death; His salvation is more unconquerable than all hell.

For such unjust acts of robbery lead automatically to vengeance and punishments, as Augustine's statement bears out. "Gain in the coffer," he says, "harm in the conscience." 55 No unjust gain is without most unjust harm.

In the eyes of the world nothing is holy except what departs as much as possible from the usual customs of life.

Works, since they are irrational things, cannot glorify God, although they may be done to the glory of God, if faith be present.

It is indeed pitiful that a monk who does nothing else night and day except chastise his body achieves nothing by this diligence than to be cast into the flames of hell.

Therefore the man whom the prophet here calls blessed is unanimously declared by the world to be the most wretched of all, as Isaiah looked upon Christ, the Head and Model of the blessed, whom he calls the lowest of all (Is. 53:3).

No, he joins the three Persons in the one work of blessing — God the Father, God the Shepherd, and the Angel.

When the article of justification is lost, nothing remains except error, hypocrisy, godlessness, and idolatry.

The third occurrence of the words4 fits our own and the last times, where the lukewarm, the presumptuous, and those easily offended abound, whom of all people it is most difficult to move forward to better things.

O how many follow them today, people full of envy and the gall of vengefulness who fashion I do not know what kind of idol of jealousy for themselves and lie about the severity of righteousness as they seek the most obstinate lie!

The saints, however, are in silence and patience and in hope (spes), not in physical activity (res), like those people, for they are saved by the name of the Lord. This does not come about except in hope and patience and silence, whereas the ungodly seek to be saved in bustle and physical activity (res), indeed by the vanity of physical activity.

The truth is, I am all sin.

as the apostle says, Phil 3:13, it forgets the things that are behind and always stretches out to the things that are ahead.