Martin Luther on Faith

[Travis]

Martin Luther's Definition of Faith:
An excerpt from "An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans,"

Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream
is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by
good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they
speak and hear much about faith. ``Faith is not enough,'' they
say, ``You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.''
They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working,
creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, ``I
believe.'' That is what they think true faith is. But, because
this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything
from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn't come from this
`faith,' either.

Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives
new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us
completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits,
our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with
it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this
faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't
stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone
asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without
ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an
unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good
works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are.
Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many
words.

Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of
God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it.
Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy,
joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The
Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you
freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve
everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who
has shown you such grace. Thus, it is just as impossible to
separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from
fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard
against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they're smart enough
to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools.
Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without
faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do.
​

I'll let this first post kind of stand on its own. Or, I should say, I'll let Luthers words stand on their own. I bolded a few things I wanted to emphasize.

Blessings,

Travis

 

[RJ]

Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives
new birth from God.

I agree completely. When we start allowing it to be all of God and none of us is the key to understanding!

 

[Travis]

Mmmm.... here's some more good stuff from Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians, chapter 1, verse 6, indirectly related:

Unto another gospel.
Note the resourcefulness of the devil. Heretics do not advertise their errors. Murderers, adulterers, thieves disguise themselves. So the devil masquerades all his devices and activities. He puts on white to make himself look like an angel of light. He is astoundingly clever to sell his patent poison for the Gospel of Christ. Knowing Satan's guile, Paul sardonically calls the doctrine of the false apostles "another gospel," as if he would say, "You Galatians have now another gospel, while my Gospel is no longer esteemed by you."


We infer from this that the false apostles had depreciated the Gospel of Paul among the Galatians on the plea that it was incomplete. Their objection to Paul's Gospel is identical to that recorded in the fifteenth chapter of the Book of Acts to the effect that it was not enough for the Galatians to believe in Christ, or to be baptized, but that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses, for "except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved." As though Christ were a workman who had begun a building and left it for Moses to finish.


Today the Anabaptists and others, finding it difficult to condemn us, accuse us Lutherans of timidity in professing the whole truth. They grant that we have laid the foundation in Christ, but claim that we have failed to go through with the building. In this way these perverse fanatics parade their cursed doctrine as the Word of God, and, flying the flag of God's name, they deceive many. The devil knows better than to appear ugly and black. He prefers to carry on his nefarious activities in the name of God. Hence the German proverb: "All mischief begins in the name of God."


When the devil sees that he cannot hurt the cause of the Gospel by destructive methods, he does it under the guise of correcting and advancing the cause of the Gospel. He would like best of all to persecute us with fire and sword, but this method has availed him little because through the blood of martyrs the church has been watered. Unable to prevail by force, he engages wicked and ungodly teachers who at first make common cause with us, then claim that they are particularly called to teach the hidden mysteries of the Scriptures to superimpose upon the first principles of Christian doctrine that we teach. This sort of thing brings the Gospel into trouble. May we all cling to the Word of Christ against the wiles of the devil, "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." ​

 

[Travis]

Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives
new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us
completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits,
our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with
it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this
faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't
stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone
asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without
ceasing.

Many people treat faith as if it is something common, something simple and easy to understand. They think that faith is just giving mental assent to what sounds like the gospel, or even what really is the gospel. This couldn't be farther from the truth.

Luther points to something which has been taught from the beginning, that faith is an absolutely sovereign work of God. True faith goes hand in hand with being born again. God causing a man to be born again is a greater act than his creating the universe out of nothing. When he created the universe, he did that just, he created it from nothing, it just came into existence. But, in the case of a man, God takes a wretched, sinful being that hates him, and transforms him into a completely new creation. He takes something that is corrupt, and makes it holy and righteous. And we speak of being born again, of having faith, like it's just a small thing.

The Catholic church of Luther's day was completely apostate (not saying she still isn't). Many men before luther had tried to overthrow her. None came close. One man, this Martin Luther, pretty much single handedly took her down, so to say. That's because he himself didn't take her down, God called this former monk and priest to take her down and God took her down through him so that everyone would know it was God and not man. God gave Luther a brilliant mind and gave him and understanding of the true gospel. In his understanding Luther coined a phrase, and the other reformers have affirmed it from thence, that salvation is by faith alone (Sola Fide). We can see that God was working in and through Luther mightely, so if this one phrase almost defined his life and work, shouldn't we seek to understand if there is something there?

What did Luther mean when he said faith alone?

Blessings,

Travis

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

I would agree with what Luther says almost entirely 100%.

But when Jesus says "Depart from me you workers of lawlessness", He does not say "depart from me you who never had faith", He says "depart from me you workers of lawlessness (you who practice sin)". If the person who calls Jesus 'Lord, Lord', and who apparantly has enough faith to cast out demons, work miracles, and prophecy in Jesus' name, is told to go to hell (literally) because they practice sin; well i think we see an emphasis placed on works as opposed to faith alone. If it was faith alone, wouldnt Jesus say "Depart from me you who never had faith in me" instead of "depart from me you workers of lawlessness"?

 

[Travis]

I would agree with what Luther says almost entirely 100%.

But when Jesus says "Depart from me you workers of lawlessness", He does not say "depart from me you who never had faith", He says "depart from me you workers of lawlessness (you who practice sin)". If the person who calls Jesus 'Lord, Lord', and who apparently has enough faith to cast out demons, work miracles, and prophecy in Jesus' name, is told to go to hell (literally) because they practice sin; well i think we see an emphasis placed on works as opposed to faith alone. If it was faith alone, wouldnt Jesus say "Depart from me you who never had faith in me" instead of "depart from me you workers of lawlessness"?

You say you agree almost entirely 100% with luther, but then you say "well i think we see an emphasis placed on works as opposed to faith alone." Perhaps I'm misunderstanding, but it seems you disagree 100% with what luther said?

Luther claimed that it is of faith alone, and the protestant reformation was really defined by this in many ways. Were Luther and all these men who came after him and affirmed this just plain wrong? Was the protestant reformation founded on a lie, on a half truth? Was all this contention for naught?

I don't think a person needs to have faith to cast out demons, to work miracles, and to prophecy in Jesus name. Judas did all of these things, and I think that any man would be hard pressed to say that Judas had faith, or that he was a believer.

I'm curious what you think of these verses:

Philippians 2
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.​

Blessings,

Travis

 

[Curtis]

Philippians 2
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.

The Apostle Paul wrote this to a Church who had been asking him many many questions, and Paul writes them telling them back to "work out their own salvation......" He was not telling them they needed to do more to complete their salvation, as salvation is a gift, not a work. He was telling them they did not need to ask him what to do as they to had God in them, and it was God who was working in them both to will, and do, just as God was working in Paul. There has to come a time when we grow up in the Lord, and are able to get our own questions answered without having to go to someone else.

It has always been man's work to "believe". It has always been God's "work" to do what man believes to him do. Only God can do the "works of faith" weather it is on the outside of us, or through us.

 

[Travis]

Thank you very much for responding Curtis.

Are you familiar with any of Luther's writings? Do you think that teaching Sola Fide is correct? Was the Protestant Reformation a legitimate work of God, founded the truth, and on the Truth (Namely Christ Jesus)? Or are we smarter and wiser than these men were, and we have a better understanding of all these things and can see that they had good intentions but were a little misled?

Blessings

 

[Curtis]

Thank you very much for responding Curtis.

Are you familiar with any of Luther's writings? Do you think that teaching Sola Fide is correct? Was the Protestant Reformation a legitimate work of God, founded the truth, and on the Truth (Namely Christ Jesus)? Or are we smarter and wiser than these men were, and we have a better understanding of all these things and can see that they had good intentions but were a little misled?

Blessings

I have heard his name before, but have never studied what he believed or taught. I have always tried to stay away from man's teachings as that causes one to have a a preconceived idea of what scripture says.
I would rather prefer the Lord by his Spirit to show me. That does not mean I have never read books by other Christians. There are only a few I believe to truly have the Spirit of God.

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

You say you agree almost entirely 100% with luther, but then you say "well i think we see an emphasis placed on works as opposed to faith alone." Perhaps I'm misunderstanding, but it seems you disagree 100% with what luther said?

Luther claimed that it is of faith alone, and the protestant reformation was really defined by this in many ways. Were Luther and all these men who came after him and affirmed this just plain wrong? Was the protestant reformation founded on a lie, on a half truth? Was all this contention for naught?

I don't think a person needs to have faith to cast out demons, to work miracles, and to prophecy in Jesus name. Judas did all of these things, and I think that any man would be hard pressed to say that Judas had faith, or that he was a believer.

I'm curious what you think of these verses:

Philippians 2
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.​

Blessings,

Travis

well i think the truth is very subtle, and although i agree with the vast majority of everything that Martin Luther said about faith and salvation, i think there is something very subtle, but not all that rare, but it is a dead faith, though it is real faith, it is dead, without works, without The Holy Spirit, without repentance, without love of God and obedience to Christ.

Judas had faith, he could not deny the miracles he witnessed, the power of God that was given to him to use one people. I am sure he had tremendous faith, but a dead faith. I would say that it is absolutely necessary to have faith in order to cast out demons. a house divided cannot stand.

 

[Travis]

well i think the truth is very subtle, and although i agree with the vast majority of everything that Martin Luther said about faith and salvation, i think there is something very subtle, but not all that rare, but it is a dead faith, though it is real faith, it is dead, without works, without The Holy Spirit, without repentance, without love of God and obedience to Christ.

Judas had faith, he could not deny the miracles he witnessed, the power of God that was given to him to use one people. I am sure he had tremendous faith, but a dead faith. I would say that it is absolutely necessary to have faith in order to cast out demons. a house divided cannot stand.

See, right there. I think we have hit the nail on the head here. This is exactly it.

You and I have completely different definitions of faith. I believe the point of James chapter 2 is that dead faith is no faith at all, and it certainly is not from God.

Ephesians 4
4 There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.​

There is but one faith. That faith is living faith, and it never fails. You either have it or you don't. Judas didn't have any of it. I mean, many of the disciples of Jesus did not have faith, that weren't even Judas's who betrayed him, Jesus says so himself:

John 6
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.​

They followed him, and may have well done many signs in his name. Doesn't mean they truly believed.


Also, side note. Jesus never said Beelzebub can't cast Beelzebub out. Only that if he does, it shows his house is divided, and a divided house cannot stand. Satan's house is not going to stand.

Blessings,

Travis

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

whether or not you are right; or i am right, i think it important to teach this the way the bible teaches it. if we go around saying that works are not necessary, repentance is not necessary, obedience is not necessary, that these things have nothing to do with salvation, then we will be unfaithful servants who do not do the masters will.

nearly every one of the parables that Jesus told about salvation told a story about salvation that was based on works. the new testament is absolutely filled with commands to repentance and good behavior, and warnings if we do not. faith without works is dead. not, a lack of faith without works is still a lack of faith. but, faith, faith without works, thats a dead faith, though it be faith, it can not save you. there is only one faith, only one faith that saves, this is true. but there is a dead faith that does not save.

this is my opinion

 

[Curtis]

See, right there. I think we have hit the nail on the head here. This is exactly it.

Ephesians 4
4 There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope tat belongs to your call-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.​

There is but one faith. That faith is living faith, and it never fails. You either have it or you don't. Judas didn't have any of it. I mean, many of the disciples of Jesus did not have faith, that weren't even Judas's who betrayed him, Jesus says so himself:

John 6
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.​

Travis

I agree with you about faith as you either have faith or you don't. there is no small, medium, large faith, you either have faith or no faith at all.
As there is only "one" faith, yet there are many instances of that "one", faith. It is the same with "baptism" there is only one baptism, but there are many instances of that one baptism. We are baptized in water, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and we are all Baptized by one Spirit into one body. The same with faith there is only one faith but many instances of that one faith. All this means is that faith does not grow in quality, but in quantity.

 

[Travis]

I kind of want to pull my hair out right now. In a good way.

Taylor, I love you man.

Hear me though. I'm not saying works are bad, I'm not saying repentance isn't necessary, I'm not saying obedience isn't necessary and that those things are totally unrelated to salvation. You know that.

The whole reason the easy-believism, hyper-grace gospel is so prevalent because it is so close to the truth, with a slight twist that absolutely ruins it all. It's incredibly subtle.

People lack repentance, because they lack faith. People lack works, because they lack faith. People lack obedience, because they lack faith. Faith isn't a magic pill that makes everything Okie dokie, its a living active thing, a gift from God that works in us. It's real, it's hard, its tough, it overcomes, it demonstrates itself in time and space. It's not completely detached from our will, but it's also not subject to our will, it's much bigger than that. Many people claim to have faith, few do. The trial of fire will prove the matter. Works don't save you. Ever. Works give evidence of what's inside you, namely faith. God want's the good works, they are not bad. The instant we start thinking that it's the good works that save us though, we've lost it. You don't add one thing to what Christ has done. It's an easy pit to fall into and a hard one to climb out of. I've gotten pretty good at digging out of pits in my Christian walk.

Getting this thing straight is super important. People don't just get this right away. It's a mystery, it's hard to understand. It's full of paradox's. But it's incredibly important. God was working in Martin Luther and many others. They didn't just say these kind of things flippantly. There is a reason he said Sola Fide. We would do well to understand it. I'm learning more about it every day.

Blessings,

Your brother,

Travis

 

[RJ]

Let's keep things between us straight brother:

if we go around saying that works are not necessary

Never said that or believe it! Works are necessary, but not of man, but of God through man!

repentance is not necessary, obedience is not necessary, that these things have nothing to do with salvation,

, there you go again...never said any of these things!

if we do not. faith without works is dead. not, a lack of faith without works is still a lack of faith. but, faith, faith without works, thats a dead faith, though it be faith, it can not save you. there is only one faith, only one faith that saves, this is true. but there is a dead faith that does not save.

, There it is again, twist my words!

a lack of faith without works is still a lack of faith

IYou amaze me brother, I never once said anything about lack of faith or lack of works, but you falsely insinuate that I do.

based on works

Here is the fundamental question....is it your works or God's works? Will you answer that honestly?

 

[Travis]

I agree with you about faith as you either have faith or you don't. there is no small, medium, large faith, you either have faith or no faith at all.
As there is only "one" faith, yet there are many instances of that "one", faith. It is the same with "baptism" there is only one baptism, but there are many instances of that one baptism. We are baptized in water, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and we are all Baptized by one Spirit into one body. The same with faith there is only one faith but many instances of that one faith. All this means is that faith does not grow in quality, but in quantity.

I think I agree with you. I'll just have to pay attention to what you say as time goes on to find out though.

To comment on what you said earlier:

The following verses are totally true:

1John 2
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.​

But, the following verses are also true:

Ephesians 4
8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." 9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,​

The way this is written, in the original, hints at the fact that these 5 ministries, or 4 some would argue, are the gifts that he gave to men. Or at least part of it, if not the whole. Point being?

1 Corinthians 12
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?​

The obvious answer to the rhetorical question being a resounding, "No." God calls and equips persons to teach and preach the word of God. God was doing something special in Martin Luther, and others, men like Spurgeon, Whitefield, Edwards, Wesley, etc. We would do well to listen to them, because Christ gave them to us as gifts. Their doctrine, insofar as what they taught that was true was not men's doctrine, it was God's doctrine, they were/are just stewards of it. No man who is called to preach the gospel comes up with the doctrine on his own, he is given it from above. If we reject those whom God has truly sent, then in a sense we have rejected him.

Blessings,

Travis

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

I kind of want to pull my hair out right now. In a good way.

Taylor, I love you man.

Hear me though. I'm not saying works are bad, I'm not saying repentance isn't necessary, I'm not saying obedience isn't necessary and that those things are totally unrelated to salvation. You know that.

The whole reason the easy-believism, hyper-grace gospel is so prevalent because it is so close to the truth, with a slight twist that absolutely ruins it all. It's incredibly subtle.

People lack repentance, because they lack faith. People lack works, because they lack faith. People lack obedience, because they lack faith. Faith isn't a magic pill that makes everything Okie dokie, its a living active thing, a gift from God that works in us. It's real, it's hard, its tough, it overcomes, it demonstrates itself in time and space. It's not completely detached from our will, but it's also not subject to our will, it's much bigger than that. Many people claim to have faith, few do. The trial of fire will prove the matter. Works don't save you. Ever. Works give evidence of what's inside you, namely faith. God want's the good works, they are not bad. The instant we start thinking that it's the good works that save us though, we've lost it. You don't add one thing to what Christ has done. It's an easy pit to fall into and a hard one to climb out of. I've gotten pretty good at digging out of pits in my Christian walk.

Getting this thing straight is super important. People don't just get this right away. It's a mystery, it's hard to understand. It's full of paradox's. But it's incredibly important. God was working in Martin Luther and many others. They didn't just say these kind of things flippantly. There is a reason he said Sola Fide. We would do well to understand it. I'm learning more about it every day.

Blessings,

Your brother,

Travis

i think we agree for the most part

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

Here is the fundamental question....is it your works or God's works? Will you answer that honestly?

is is my faith or is it God's faith?
when Abraham believed God, it was credited to him as righteousness.
so was it Abraham's faith, or was it God's faith, that was credited to Abraham as righteousness?
did Abraham believe God, or did God believe God?

 

[Curtis]

I think I agree with you. I'll just have to pay attention to what you say as time goes on to find out though.

To comment on what you said earlier:

The following verses are totally true:

1John 2
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.​

But, the following verses are also true:

Ephesians 4
8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." 9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,​

The way this is written, in the original, hints at the fact that these 5 ministries, or 4 some would argue, are the gifts that he gave to men. Or at least part of it, if not the whole. Point being?

1 Corinthians 12
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?​

The obvious answer to the rhetorical question being a resounding, "No." God calls and equips persons to teach and preach the word of God. God was doing something special in Martin Luther, and others, men like Spurgeon, Whitefield, Edwards, Wesley, etc. We would do well to listen to them, because Christ gave them to us as gifts. Their doctrine, insofar as what they taught that was true was not men's doctrine, it was God's doctrine, they were/are just stewards of it. No man who is called to preach the gospel comes up with the doctrine on his own, he is given it from above. If we reject those whom God has truly sent, then in a sense we have rejected him.

Blessings,

Travis

There is no doubt that Jesus gave "gifts" unto men in the form of the five fold ministry. There job was to teach the church how to do the "work" of the ministry, which is the building of the body of Christ. The ministry is what the people in the Church do, not what these teachers do. They are only there until the Church comes unto a "perfect" ,man. Not sinless, but mature in our understanding of how God works and moves in us. Once that has come we are to go out to teach these to others in this world. Going to Church is not suppose to be a "career" where we spend our entire life there. We are all called to do the work of the ministry, not just those in the five fold ministry.

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

We are all called to do the "work" of the ministry, which is the edifying of the body of Christ. The word "edify" means to build up as a building. This is the most important ministry of them all!!!

.

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

Many people treat faith as if it is something common, something simple and easy to understand. They think that faith is just giving mental assent to what sounds like the gospel, or even what really is the gospel. This couldn't be farther from the truth.

Luther points to something which has been taught from the beginning, that faith is an absolutely sovereign work of God. True faith goes hand in hand with being born again. God causing a man to be born again is a greater act than his creating the universe out of nothing. When he created the universe, he did that just, he created it from nothing, it just came into existence. But, in the case of a man, God takes a wretched, sinful being that hates him, and transforms him into a completely new creation. He takes something that is corrupt, and makes it holy and righteous. And we speak of being born again, of having faith, like it's just a small thing.

The Catholic church of Luther's day was completely apostate (not saying she still isn't). Many men before luther had tried to overthrow her. None came close. One man, this Martin Luther, pretty much single handedly took her down, so to say. That's because he himself didn't take her down, God called this former monk and priest to take her down and God took her down through him so that everyone would know it was God and not man. God gave Luther a brilliant mind and gave him and understanding of the true gospel. In his understanding Luther coined a phrase, and the other reformers have affirmed it from thence, that salvation is by faith alone (Sola Fide). We can see that God was working in and through Luther mightely, so if this one phrase almost defined his life and work, shouldn't we seek to understand if there is something there?

What did Luther mean when he said faith alone?

Blessings,

Travis

Back in the 1500's I believe when Luther was excommunicated from the catholic church and this was not his intensions. Now in I believe 1999 The catholic church or the Vatican got together with the Luthern People or council got together and settled their indifferences. They settled it in Luthers favor for Luther spoke the word of God. The catholic church now agrees that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father or salvation.....
Blessings
Jim