Posts tagged “Faith”

Jeering, hitting, and abusing the deposed tyrant

Posted on April 2nd, 2013

Now that the Savior has raised His body, death is no longer terrible, but all those who believe in Christ tread it underfoot as nothing, and prefer to die rather than to deny their faith in Christ, knowing full well that when they die they do not perish, but live indeed, and become incorruptible through the resurrection…. Death has become like a tyrant who has become completely conquered by the legitimate monarch; bound hand and foot as he know is, the passers-by jeer at him, hitting him and abusing him, no longer afraid of his cruelty and rage, because of the king who has conquered him. So has death been conquered and branded for what it is by the Saviour on the cross. St…

Categories: Theology

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Can a person believe and yet despair?

Posted on March 20th, 2013

After the slaughter of Shechem, Hamor, and the Hivites (when Shechem had defiled Dinah, Genesis 34), Jacob is filled with sorrow at the sins of his sons. Luther comments on this faith which struggles with despair in his Lectures on Genesis (AE 6): The holy man Jacob is again wrestling with a very great trial of the spirit and faith which is nearly extinguished. The flax is smoking, and the reed is bruised and nearly broken (cf. Is. 42:3). For they are not words of faith but simply Words of the murmuring flesh and struggling faith, and weak faith at that. He has almost lost those glorious promises: “I will surely bless you, etc.” Those suns and stars of the Word and promises were…

Categories: Theology

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The nun Mechtild was vexed by the devil

Posted on February 25th, 2013

More Luther on how to endure trials and temptations, especially to despair: This picture of the conflicts and struggles in the saints is full of consolation. Elsewhere the example of the nun Mechtild is recounted. She was vexed by the devil, because she knew or experienced absolutely nothing about faith. This was a temptation to unbelief, which is a most bitter grief and torment of conscience. For hearts are consumed by trepidation and doubt, and experience alone shows what this grief is; it cannot be declared in words. Nevertheless, that temptation was not yet equal to this struggle of Jacob. For it was not God who was fighting against her, as was the case here with Jacob, but the devil, who can drive men…

Categories: Theology

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Faith to confront grave matters

Posted on February 13th, 2013

God has not bequeathed us the gift of faith to deal with trivial things but rather to confront grave matters such as: Death, sin, the world and the Devil. For the world is not capable of resisting Death, but, instead, the world is terrified and runs away from Death, but is in the end defeated by him. But faith remains steadfast and resists Death who devours the whole world. Faith gains the victory over Death and then swallow up this insatiable devourer of life. Martin Luther, taken from Luther Brevier, p59

Categories: Theology

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Staupitz on money and faith

Posted on January 23rd, 2013

Luther’s confidence that God supplies daily bread was nourished by his father-confessor: I remember that Staupitz told me a story about a prior in a certain monastery who continually complained that the income of the monastery was too slender for him to be able to procure the food and necessities for the monks from this source. Finally Staupitz demanded from him a statement of the income and the expenditures. Here he saw that the property of the monastery had been notably increased every year. Therefore after summoning him to his presence he removed him from office, saying: “You are not a man of faith. Consequently, it is impossible for you to further the interests of the monastery.” -AE 5

Categories: Theology

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A faith almost devoured by lions and bears

Posted on January 19th, 2013

Luther on the battle between faith and doubt: This battle is exceedingly annoying to the flesh, which would prefer a faith that is not tried or assailed but kills lions and bears, as David, Samson, or others did. But my faith is so small and weak that it could very easily be devoured by a lion or a bear. Yet the bruised reed and the dimly burning wick (Is. 42:3) are present. So is God, who understands the sighings, who knows what the Holy Spirit demands for us. -AE 5

Categories: Theology

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The secret sighing of the Holy Spirit

Posted on January 18th, 2013

Luther on Rachel’s trial of envy regarding her sister Leah’s fertility (Gen. 30:1): He who is tried by doubt experiences an ineffable sighing by which he wishes that he were not troubled by doubt. Yet he feels that doubt has greater power and makes him captive to the law of sin and unbelief (cf. Rom. 7:23). But in opposition to this sighing a secret sighing is aroused through the Holy Spirit—a sighing which, on the other hand, murmurs against it, contradicts it, is angry with unbelief, and says: “Shame on you, wretched unbelief! Do not say: ‘Who knows? It is a lie, etc.’ ” This takes place with a small sigh and an ineffable sobbing which sustains the tried heart, lest it become wicked…

Categories: Theology

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The gospel is not commonsense

Posted on December 27th, 2012

Forde on how Luther upset the medieval (and general philosophical) assumption of works righteousness on its head: Aristotle sets forth commonsense human wisdom about good works. What he says certainly seems meet, right, and salutary. We learn to play the piano only by practicing, we learn a skill only by doing. This is the wisdom by which the world runs. It is what lawmakers try to inculcate. But not here. The righteousness before God comes only by hearing and believing. God makes us who we are (thesis 28!). Such righteousness can only appear absolutely shocking compared to the wisdom of an Aristotle. Gerhard O. Forde, On Being a Theologian of the Cross: Reflections on Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation

Categories: Theology

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How to Read the Bible

Posted on December 5th, 2012

When you open the book containing the gospels and read or hear how Christ comes here or there, or how someone is brought to him, you should therein perceive the sermon or the gospel through which he is coming to you, or you are being brought to him. For the preaching of the gospel is nothing else than Christ coming to us, or we being brought to him.  When you see how he works, however, and how he helps everyone to whom he comes or who is brought to him, then rest assured that faith is accomplishing this in you and that he is offering your soul exactly the same sort of help and favor through the gospel. If you pause here and let…

Categories: Theology

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Resentment sabotages prayer

Posted on November 5th, 2012

Prayer requires faith. But strong faith is not willpower. In Grace upon Grace, John Kleinig highlights one of our primary weaknesses in our prayer life: Hesitant and uncertain prayer is the mark of a troubled conscience. It usually stems from resentment against those who have hurt us, and our reluctance to forgive them. Resentment and anger sabotage faith and prayer (see also 1 Timothy 2:8) and must therefore be rectified. So the power of prayer rests not only on our confidence in the grace of God but also on our graciousness to those who have hurt us. Wisdom. Let us attend.

Categories: Theology

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