Quotes from Martin Luther

The most damnable and pernicious heresy that has ever plagued the mind of man was the idea that somehow he could make himself good enough to deserve to live with and all-holy God.

We must not be dependent on the judgment of the world or the flesh; in fact, we must not be dependent on the judgment even of our own hearts regarding ourselves.

To Erasmus] I give you hearty praise and commendation on this further account-that you alone, in contrast with all others, have attacked the real thing, that is, the essential issue. You have not wearied me with those extraneous issues about the Papacy, purgatory, indulgences and such like -trifles, rather than issues... you, and you alone have seen the hinge on which all turns, and aimed for the vital spot.

But those are truly gifts of the Holy Spirit which make drunk with the richest knowledge of the Son of God, just as when John Hus was led to martyrdom, he prayed with great and unbroken courage: "Jesus, Son of God, Thou who hast suffered for us, have mercy on me."63 This is not said without the Holy Spirit. No one else would have spoken this way unless he had been made drunk by that wine. He was one of the colts bound to the excellent vine.

O God, our merciful Father, by Your Holy Law do You work in us the true knowledge of our sin, that our heart may be penitent, and our soul humble before You. Blot out our iniquities with the blood of Your Son, cleanse our souls from the dark spots with which we have soiled them, and comfort us with the assurance of Your grace. Build Your Church with us and our children, that Your name may be glorified by many generations. Amen.

He is a God to us and dispenses everything bountifully also when everything is most hopeless.

Thus although Nebuchadnezzar no longer remembered his dream, yet he could not forget the impression it made.

No matter how insignificant the little office may be, they take a foot though they do not have an inch,73 and always want to be God themselves when they ought to be God's maid.

God has found out the guilt of your servants;

For since through the sin of Adam we are sunk in blindness, so that we are wholly ignorant of God in all His will and counsel, it is not only foolish but also impossible of ourselves to prepare a light and a way by which to approach God and find out what He would have us do, as He says in the Book of Wisdom (9:13-14): "The thoughts of mortals are fearful and uncertain. For who among men can know what God wants?

The cause of this is not the rage and wickedness of the devil, nor that of the hordes of his Mohammed, but the damnable ingratitude and contempt for the Gospel on the part of those who have it but do not seriously care about it and see to it that they retain it.

For even the heathen poet said, "I was wrong in thinking that that kingdom which is established by force is stronger than that which is joined together by friendship."6