Luther on Salvation

Since God has taken my salvation out of my hands into his, making it depend on his choice and not mine, and has promised to save me, not by my own work or exertion but by his grace and mercy, I am assured and certain both that he is faithful and will not lie to me, and also that he is too great and powerful for any demons or any adversities to be able to break him or to snatch me from him. “No one,” he says, “shall snatch them out of my hand, because my Father who has given them to me is greater than all” [John 10:28 f.].

Luther, M. (1999, c1972). Vol. 33: Luther’s works, vol. 33 : Career of the Reformer III (J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther’s Works (33:III-289). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.

h/t to Mark Latham

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4 Responses to Luther on Salvation

  1. Fred says:

    Yes, this battle is certainly implied in the larger Lutheran oeuvre, but is not, however, implied by the quoted passage to which I was referring. In this passage Luther lays claim to a divinely secured salvation which lays to rest all striving and uncertainty.

  2. me says:

    It seems to me that Luther’s point is that there is no battle.

    Quite the opposite, actually. It’s just that our battle is not to gain our salvation, but to hold fast to the Gospel.

  3. Fred says:

    It seems to me that Luther’s point is that there is no battle.

  4. Steve Martin says:

    The forces allied against our Lord are no match for Him.

    The only way we could lose our salvation would be if we ourselves were to cut ourselves off from His grace and mercy.

    Hence the battle.

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