Martin Luther was a musical man and as a child he was in a boys’ choir. I am happy to also report that he was a flautist, just like me. He is well known as the author of many hymns and even published his first hymnal in 1524. Perhaps Martin Luther was most famously known as the German Monk who became intolerant of the Roman Catholic Church over teachings on the subjects of clerical celibacy, papal abuses, the denying of the scriptures, sainthood, salvation by works, and other Catholic doctrines.[1] In 1521 Luther was excommunicated from the church when he refused to recant his teachings which were against what the Catholic Church taught. Luther asked the Papal Legate to show him “scripture and right reason” or he would not, nor could not recant. It was a very serious offense for which he was forced to go into hiding.[2]
Martin Luther is credited with the European Protestant Reformation in the 16th Century. This reformation began in Germany and spread throughout other Scandinavian countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. Lutheranism came to America as folks from those countries moved to the “New World”.[3] “Lutheran” as they were labeled by their enemies was how followers identified themselves. Martin Luther did not like the name “Lutheran”, in fact he is quoted as saying:
“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?”
No doubt Martin Luther did a lot of teaching and preaching; he has said some amazing things. Take a look at these other powerful sayings and quotes from Martin Luther.
Faith and Faithfulness
“Faith must trample under foot all reason, sense and understanding.”
“Faith cannot be inherited or gained by being baptized into a Church. Faith is a matter between the individual and God.”
“What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow.”
“All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired.”
“Faith must trample under foot all reason, sense, and understanding.”
Marriage
“Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.”
“There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.”
Music and The Word of God
“I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth.”
“Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.”
“Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.”
“God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.”
“I cannot choose but adhere to the word of God, which has possession of my conscience; nor can I possibly, nor will I even make any recantation, since it is neither safe nor honest to act contrary to conscience! Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God! Amen.”
“The devil, the originator of sorrowful anxieties and restless troubles, flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God….Music is a gift and grace of God, not an invention of men. Thus it drives out the devil and makes people cheerful. Then one forgets all wrath, impurity, and other devices.”
“Music is the art of the prophets and the gift of God.”
“Christ is the Master; the Scriptures are only the servant. The true way to test all the Books is to see whether they work the will of Christ or not. No Book which does not preach Christ can be apostolic, though Peter or Paul were its author. And no Book which does preach Christ can fail to be apostolic, although Judas, Ananias, Pilate, or Herod were its author.”
Prayer and Praying
“I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
“The fewer the words, the better the prayer.”
“No one can believe how powerful prayer is and what it can effect, except those who have learned it by experience. Whenever I have prayed earnestly, I have been heard and have obtained more than I prayed for. God sometimes delays, but He always comes.”
Salvation
“All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired.”
“Is it not wonderful news to believe that salvation lies outside ourselves?”
“He [Christ] died for me. He made His righteousness mine and made my sin His own; and if He made my sin His own, then I do not have it, and I am free.”
Interested in more quotes and sayings?
Check out these articles:
Sources:
[1] religionfacts .com
[2] Christian Classics Ethereal Library, Biography of Martin Luther
[3] Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
YouTube video “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” sung by Chris Rice, written by Martin Luther
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