Colorful Sayings of Colorful Luther

Copyright (c) 1995 Christianity Today, Inc./CHRISTIAN HISTORY Magazine

ON HUMILITY

God creates out of nothing. Therefore, until a man is nothing, God can make nothing out of him.

Affliction is the best book in my library.

ON FAITH:

Faith is the "yes" of the heart, a conviction on which one stakes one's life.

ON HUMAN NATURE

Nothing is easier than sinning.

Human nature is like a drunk peasant. Lift him into the saddle on one side, over he topples on the other side.

Temptations, of course, cannot be avoided, but because we cannot prevent the birds from flying over our heads, there is no need that we should let them nest in our hair.

A lie is like a snowball. The longer it is rolled on the ground the larger it becomes.

ON CHURCH PRACTICES

A simple layman armed with Scripture is to be believed above a pope or a cardinal without it.

Farewell to those who want an entirely pure and purified church. This is plainly wanting no church at all.

ON CHRISTIAN FREEDOM

Sometimes we must drink more, sport, recreate ourselves, aye, and even sin a little to spite the devil, so that we leave him no place for troubling our consciences with trifles. We are conquered if we try too conscientiously not to sin at all.

If our Lord is permitted to create nice large pike and good Rhine wine, presumably I may be allowed to eat and drink.

ON PRAYER

Oh, if only I could pray the way this dog watches the meat! All his thoughts are concentrated on the piece of meat. Otherwise he has no thought, wish, or hope.

ON HIMSELF

Our Lord God must be a pious man to be able to love rascals. I can't do it, and yet I am a rascal myself.

If I rest, I rust.

Copyright (c) 1995 Christianity Today, Inc./CHRISTIAN HISTORY Magazine

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