“The proverb has it that Hunger the best cook. The Law makes afflicted consciences hungry for Christ. Christ tastes good to them. Hungry hearts appreciated 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 disperse them only to those who need them and really desire them.”
Martin Luther
For more Martin Luther quotes see these posts:
“Whenever remission of sins is freely proclaimed, people misinterpret it according to Romans 3:8, “Let us do evil, that good may come.” As soon as people hear that we are not justified by the Law, they reason maliciously: “Why, then let us reject the Law. If grace abounds, where sin abounds, let us abound in sin, that grace may all the more abound.” People who reason thus are reckless. They make sport of the Scriptures and slander the sayings of the Holy Ghost.
However, there are others who are not malicious, only weak, who may take offense when told that Law and good works are unnecessary for salvation. These must be instructed as to why good works do not justify, and from what motives good works must be done. Good works are not the cause, but the fruit of righteousness. When we have become righteous, then first are we able and willing to do good. The tree makes the apple; the apple does not make the tree.”
Source: Galatians commentary
“Paul explains what constitutes true Christian righteousness. True Christian righteousness is the righteousness of Christ who lives in us. We must look away from our own person. Christ and my conscience must become one, so that I can see nothing else but Christ crucified and raised from the dead for me. If I keep on looking at myself, I am gone.
If we lose sight of Christ and begin to consider our past, we simply go to pieces. We must turn our eyes to the brazen serpent, Christ crucified, and believe with all our heart that He is our righteousness and our life. For Christ, on whom our eyes are fixed, in whom we live, who lives in us, is Lord over Law, sin, death, and all evil.”
Source: Galatians commentary
At this season of gift giving, we should stop and ask ourselves, what can I give God? What can I do to thank God who has given me everything? Here’s Martin Luther’s answer.
“A gift to God must consist of praise and thanks, or must at least not be without praise and thanks, if it is to please God. And if it is without praise and thanks, He neither wants it nor likes it, as indeed He says (Isa. 1:11): What is your sacrificing to Me? I do not want your offering of incense.
We cannot give God anything: for everything is already His, and all we have comes from Him. We can only give Him praise, thanks and honor.”
Martin Luther, from What Luther Says
For more Martin Luther quotes see:
Martin Luther on the Kingdom of God
“The kingdom of God does not consist in talk, but in power, that is, in works and practice. God loves the ‘doers of the word’ in faith and love, and not the ‘mere hearers,’ who, like parrots, have learned to utter certain expressions with readiness.“
Martin Luther
For more Martin Luther quotes see these posts:
What Did Martin Luther Say about the Holy Spirit?
I think many of you might be familiarized with Mark Dever’s 9 marks of a healthy church. Nevertheless, today I’d like you introduce you all to the marks of a church according to Martin Luther.
1. The word
“First, the holy Christian people are recognized by their possession of the holy word of God. And even if there were no other sign than this alone, it would still suffice to prove that a Christian, holy people must exist there, for God’s word cannot be without God’s people, and conversely, God’s people cannot be without God’s word.”
2. Baptism
“God’s people or the Christian holy people are recognized by the holy sacrament of baptism, wherever it is taught, believed, and administered correctly according to Christ’s ordinance.”
3. The Lord’s supper
“God’s people, or Christian holy people, are recognized by the holy sacrament of the altar, wherever it is rightly administered, believed, and received, according to Christ’s institution. This too is a public sign and a precious, holy possession left behind by Christ by which his people are sanctified so that they also exercise themselves in faith and openly confess that they are Christian, just as they do with the word and baptism.”
Discipline
4. “God’s people or holy Christians are recognized by the office of the keys exercised publicly. That is, as Christ decrees in Matthew 18:15– 20, if a Christian sins, he should be reproved; and if he does not mend his ways, he should be bound in his sin and cast out. If he does mend his ways, he should be absolved. That is the office of the keys.”
5. Biblical offices
“The church is recognized externally by the fact that it consecrates or calls ministers, or has offices that it is to administer.”
6. Worship
“The holy Christian people are externally recognized by prayer, public praise, and thanksgiving to God. Where you see and hear the Lord’s Prayer prayed and taught; or psalms or other spiritual songs sung, in accordance with the word of God and the true faith; also the creed, the Ten Commandments, and the catechism used in public, you may rest assured that a holy Christian people of God are present.”
7. Suffering
“The holy Christian people are externally recognized by the possession of the sacred cross. They must endure every misfortune and persecution, all kinds of trials and evil from the devil, the world, and the flesh.”
Source: Luther’s works Vol.41
“The first thing I ask is that people should not make use of my name and should not call themselves Lutherans but Christians. What is Luther? The teaching is not mine. Nor was I crucified for anyone. How did I, poor stinking bag of maggots that I am, come to the point where people call the children of Christ by my evil name?”
Martin Luther
For more quotes by Martin Luther see:
What Did Martin Luther Say about the Holy Spirit?
“Whilst a man is persuaded that he has it in his power to contribute anything, be it ever so little, to his salvation, he remains in carnal self-confidence; he is not a self-despairer, and therefore is not duly humbled before God, he believes he may lend a helping hand in his salvation, but on the contrary, whoever is truly convinced that the whole work depends singly on the will of God, such a person renounces his own will and strength; he waits and prays for the operation of God, nor waits and prays in vain.”
Martin Luther
For more Martin Luther quotes see:
Of course, the best teacher, aside from Jesus Himself, is the Bible, the Word of God. In Isaiah, we read:
“so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11
That means if we’re serious about being teachable Christians, we should be reading the Scriptures regularly, if not daily. When we read, it’s helpful to use a commentary or a study Bible that can put the Word into the proper historical context, explain what those words would have meant to the original hearers, link the words to other references in the Bible, and so on. Of course, you also need to make sure the commentary you are using is a good one. Ask your pastor for suggestions,or check out what is available at Concordia Publishing (https://www.cph.org/), a safe source for Lutherans.
In addition, read slowly and carefully. Think about what stands out for you, and how it may apply to your own life. Bible study is not only about book learning, being able to spew out facts and information — it’s about allowing it to transform our lives.
Currently I’ve been using a tool called The M’Cheyne Reading Plan. It was developed by a 19th Century Scottish minister, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, (sometimes spelled McCheyne) who lived from 1813-1843. It takesreaders through the New Testament and Psalms twice a year, and through the rest of the Bible once each year. There are approximately 4 chapters per day in this plan. If you would like to give it a try, you can download a copy from this site: https://www.mcheyne.info/mcheyne-reading-plan/..
Tomorrow, I’ll be posting more about what the Word has been teaching me. Stay tuned!
For more about Bible study see:
“Teaching is more important that urging.”
“Nothing is more unbecoming to a teacher of the Word than flippancy. He must be serious and not act like a clown.”
“I pray that God would open the mouth in me and the heart in you and that He would be the teacher in the midst of us who may in us speak and hear.”
Martin Luther
For more Martin Luther quotes see:
Martin Luther Quote on the Psalms #2
“
Lutheran Ladies Connection 