Luther on Truth
Romans 3:28
We conclude that a person has God's approval by faith, and not by his own efforts.
Martin Luther writes, "people don't earn God's approval or receive life and salvation because of what they do. Rather, the only reason they receive life and salvation is because of God's kindness shown through Christ!
Christians may be tired of hearing this over and over, they seem to believe that they learned it long ago, but by the way they act I can clearly see that they barely understand how important it is. If it continues to be taught as truth, the Christian church will remain United and pure, free from decay, because it is this truth alone that makes and sustains the Christian faith. You might hear some immature Christian brag about how well he or she knows and has received God's approval or God's kindness, as if it is easy to put faith into practice if you just apply yourself or try hard enough. No doubt that person doesn't know what they are talking about, and probably never will! You can never learn the truth when you are bragging how fully and well you understand the things of God. The truth is that this is not an academic pursuit, but an art, and we will always remain students of it, this truth will always be our teacher.
People who truly understand they have received God's approval by faith as a gift, and put this into practice don't brag that they have fully mastered anything! Rather they think of it like a pleasant taste or sweet aroma they are always pursuing. These people are rarely astonished that they don't comprehend it as fully as they would like because they are always hungering and thirsting for it! One never tires of hearing this truth, Paul referred to such a feeling in Philippians 3:12 when he wrote he'd not yet reached his goal. And in Matthew 5:6 Christ himself said that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness were blessed!"
Imagine, if you can, a world where people feel blessed because of what they do not know! Imagine, if you can, a politician praised for professing his or her ignorance in the face of great mystery. Imagine a truth existing outside the bubble of our opinions or power. If you can imagine such things, then you are getting a glimpse of how Luther saw the Christian life. Something to be experienced, to be lived, not to be studied or dissected like a lab frog. Luther surely wanted us to study the Word, to be open to new ideas and new challenges...but he also wanted us to know our place. We are the created, not the creator, and salvation lies exclusively in the hands of God, not ours., If we are saved, it is because God wants to save us, and does the saving Himself. We live in that truth, or spend our lives avoiding it!