Martin Luther Quotes
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A theologian should be thoroughly in possession of the basis and source of faith--that is to say, the Holy Scriptures. Armed with this knowledge it was that I confounded and silenced all my adversaries; for they seek not to fathom and understand the Scriptures; they run them over negligently and drowsily; they speak, they write, they teach, according to the suggestion of their heedless imaginations.
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There is on earth among all dangers, no more dangerous thing than a richly endowed and adroid reason, especially if she enters into spiritual matters which concern the soul and God. For it is more possible to teach an ass to read than to blind such a reason and lead it right; for reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed.
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A theologian is born by living, nay dying and being damned, not by thinking, reading, or speculating.
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Everything is from God himself, both commandment and fulfillment. He alone commands; he alone fulfills.
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I have no use for cranks who despise music, because it is a gift of God. Music drives away the Devil and makes people joyful; they forget thereby all wrath, unchastity, arrogance, and the like. Next after theology, I give to music the highest place and the greatest honor.
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War for the sake of war is sin, but war for the sake of defense is duty.
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Every country must have its own devil. Welshland its own, and France its own. Our German devil will be a good wind-pipe, and must be called drinking, being so thirsty and hell-like that no guzzling of wine and beer, however large, will cool it off, and I fear that such will ever remain Germany's plague, until the day of judgment.
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For that purpose Christ instituted holy baptism, thereby to clothe you with his righteousness. It is tantamount to his saying, My righteousness shall be your righteousness; my innocence, your innocence. Your sins indeed are great, but by baptism I bestow on you my righteousness; I strip death from you and clothe you with my life.
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Whoever teaches differently from what I have taught, or whoever condemns me therein, he condemns God and must remain a child of hell.
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What shall we do with...the Jews?...set fire to their synagogues or schools and bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them.
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Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.
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Ambition begat simony; simony begat the pope and his brethren, about the time of the Babylonish captivity.
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Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.
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I've got so much work to do today, I'd better spend two hours in prayer instead of one.
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Twas a special gift of God that speech was given to mankind; for through the Word, and not by force, wisdom governs.
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Merit is a work for the sake of which Christ gives rewards. But no such work is to be found, for Christ gives by promise. Just as if a prince should say to me, "Come to me in my castle, and I will give you a hundred florins." I do a work, certainly, in going to the castle, but the gift is not given me as the reward of my work in going, but because the prince promised it to me.
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Adam and Eve derived the fullness of joy and bliss from their contemplation of all the animal creatures.
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There are some of us who think to ourselves, 'If I had only been there! How quick I would have been to help the Baby. I would have washed His linen. How happy I would have been to go with the shepherds to see the Lord lying in the manger!' Why don't we do it now? We have Christ in our neighbor.
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We are nothing with all our gifts be they ever so great, except God assist us.
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We are determined here in Montgomery to work and fight until justice runs 'down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.'
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Peace is more important than all justice; and peace was not made for the sake of justice, but justice for the sake of peace.
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Spare the rod and spoil the child - that is true. But, beside the rod, keep an apple to give him when he has done well.
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Religion is not 'doctrinal knowledge,' but wisdom born of personal experience.
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There is no need for you to develop an armed insurrection. Christ himself has already begun an insurrection with his mouth.