Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther portrays the gospel as a fesh breeze. IT is lengthy, but worth the read:

"6712. The Gospel is like a fresh, soft, cool breeze in the great heat of summer; that is, it is a comfort to the torment of the conscience; not during winter, when we already have enough of cold--that is a time of peace, when people feel secure and think to make themselves righteous and pious through their works--but in the great heat of the summer, that is in those who through fear and torment of their conscience really feel God's wrath against sin and weakness.

This  heat is brought about by the sun; just as the fright of the conscience is brought about by preaching the Law and directed to the thought and observation that man has transgressed and opposed God's and no man's law. So we have the heavenly breeze to set our conscience straight, to refresh it and comfort it, not the comfort from certain human endeavors and works, but from the preaching of the Gospel.

But now that our strength is restored through the fresh air of the Gospel, we should not become complacent, lie around and snore. In other words, now that our conscience is at peace, quieted and consoled through God's Spirit, we should demonstrate our Faith with good works, which God has ordered and commanded in the Ten Commandments. Otherwise, we will be led astray and plagued by mosquitoes, flies, and ants, and so on, that is by the devil, the world, and our own flesh. But one must come through all that and not be led astray." (pp. 467-468)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.