Riding the Ass: Following God’s Commandments from the Heart

In this passage, Martin Luther tells us how God’s commands require more than a simple outward obedience, but also an inward delight in them. Thus, the man who performs the outward acts of the law but does not delight in them as he does his treasured sins, is like a trained and bridled donkey. It goes where [...]

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Desire and Holiness: Pursuing Christ with the Same Passion We Pursue Sin

What does God require?  An upright heart.  Here  Martin Luther describes what an upright heart looks like.  The upright heart desires holiness with the same desire that a man might desire adultery.  He wants it simply because it pleases him.  Just as an immoral person, if you should ask him why he commits adultery, can answer [...]

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Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

What does it mean that the poor are blessed?  Martin Luther explains it here. 30. From what has just been said it is easily understood that among the works of Christ none is greater than preaching the Gospel to the poor. This means nothing else than that to the poor the divine promise of grace [...]

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Free Will, Sin, Bondage

From time to time the Reformed faith has been accused of focusing so much on our inherent sinfulness that we fail to recognize the new heart God has given us, and thus fail to teach how we may shed sin and grow in holiness.  In this passage from his sermon on Matthew 21, The Good Doctor (Martin Luther) describes why it is [...]

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