16 Martin Luther Quotes on Faith

Martin Luther quotes on faith

1. Wir sein pettler. Hoc est verum.

3. Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace.

4. If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong (sin boldly), but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2. Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign.

5. What does it mean to have a god? or, what is God? Answer: A god means that from which we are to expect all good and to which we are to take refuge in all distress, so that to have a God is nothing else than to trust and believe Him from the [whole] heart; as I have often said that the confidence and faith of the heart alone make both God and an idol. If your faith and trust be right, then is your god also true; and, on the other hand, if your trust be false and wrong, then you have not the true God; for these two belong together faith and God. That now, I say, upon which you set your heart and put your trust is properly your god.

6. But since the devil's bride, Reason, that pretty whore, comes in and thinks she's wise, and what she says, what she thinks, is from the Holy Spirit, who can help us, then? Not judges, not doctors, no king or emperor, because [reason] is the Devil's greatest whore.

15. 'For He that is mighty hath done great things for me, and Holy is His Name' (Luke 1:49). Luther comments:

19. Religion is not 'doctrinal knowledge,' but wisdom born of personal experience.

23. A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing; Our helper He amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing.

25. Here I stand; I can do no otherwise. God help me. Amen!

32. Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has: it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but--more frequently than not --struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God.

34. Hier stehe ich, ich kann nicht anders. Gott helfe mir. Amen.

36. Ein' feste burg is unser Gott, ein gute wehr und waffen. Er hilft uns frei aus aller not, die uns itzt hat betroffen.

42. Reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed. Faith must trample underfoot all reason, sense, and understanding, and whatever it sees must be put out of sight and ... know nothing but the word of God.

43. Sin cannot tear you away from him [Christ], even though you commit adultery a hundred times a day and commit as many murders.

44. We are all ministers of the Gospel. Some of us just happen to be clergymen.

45. Whoever wants to be a Christian should tear the eyes out of his reason.