Martin Luther Quotes
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God doesn't slack his promises because of our sins or hasten them because of our righteousness. He pays no attention to either.
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Our Lord God doesn't do great things except by violence, as they say.
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Faith ever says, 'If Thou wilt,' not 'If Thou canst.'
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To progress is always to begin always to begin again.
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If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.
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The fool will upset the whole science of astronomy, but as the Holy Scripture shows, it was the sun and not the earth which Joshua ordered to stand still.
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In many countries there are particular places to which devils more especially resort. In Prussia there is an infinite number of evil spirits.
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God has surely promised His grace to the humbled: that is, to those who mourn over and despair of themselves. But a man cannot be thoroughly humbled till he realizes that his salvation is utterly beyond his own powers, counsels, efforts, will and works, and depends absolutely on the will, counsel, pleasure and work of Another -- God alone.
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I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and jetsam in the river of life, unable to influence the unfolding events which surround him. I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.
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Superstition, idolatry, and hypocrisy have ample wages, but truth goes a-begging.
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For who in fact seeks the salvation of souls through indulgences, and not instead money for his coffers? This is evident from the way indulgences are preached . For the commissioners and preachers do nothing but extol indulgences and incite.
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We ought first to know that there are no good works except those which God has commanded, even as there is no sin except that which God has forbidden.
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We find no rest for our weary bones unless we cling to the word of grace.
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Grace was not given to heal the spiritually sick but to decorate spiritual heroes!
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The proverb has it that Hunger is the best cook. The Law makes afflicted consciences hungry for Christ. Christ tastes good to them. Hungry hearts appreciate Christ. Thirsty souls are what Christ wants. He invites them: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Christ's benefits are so precious that He will dispense them only to those who need them and really desire them.
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Let every man recognize what he is, and be certain that we are all equally priests, that is, we have the same power in the word and in any sacrament whatever.
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To Christoph Scheurl (Christophoro Scheurlo), March 5, 1518.
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Teaching is of more importance than urging.
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Medicine makes people ill, mathematics make them sad and theology makes them sinful.
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Whoever does not know God hidden in suffering does not know God at all.
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Christian living does not mean to be good but to become good; not to be well, but to get well; not being but becoming; nor rest but training. We are not yet, but we shall be. It has not yet happened, but it is the way. Not everything shines and sparkles as yet, but everything is getting better.
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The fatuous idea that a person can be holy by himself denies God the pleasure of saving sinners. God must therefore first take the sledge-hammer of the Law in His fists and smash the beast of self-righteousness and its brood of self-confidence, self wisdom, and self-help. When the conscience has been thoroughly frightened by the Law it welcomes the Gospel of grace with its message of a Savior Who came-not to break the bruised reed nor to quench the smoking flax-but to preach glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, and to grant forgiveness of sins to all the captives.
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At the center of the Christian faith is the affirmation that there is a God in the universe who is the ground and essence of all reality. A Being of infinite love and boundless power, God is the creator, sustainer, and conserver of values....In contrast to the ethical relativism of totalitarianism, Christianity sets forth a system of absolute moral values and affirms that God has placed within the very structure of this universe certain moral principles that are fixed and immutable.
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We must not regard what or how the world esteems us, so we have the Word pure, and are certain of our doctrine.