p. 130 | Luther on the Law by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 27, 1866

Luther on the Law.

By James White

[Bro. White: The following is an extract from Luther's sermons, showing his views concerning the Law of God. If you think proper I should like to see it in the Review, as I think it would be of interest to the readers of the paper.—John Matteson.]

"18th Sunday after Trinity. . . . . . 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.' As if he would say: Thus hast thou been, and must again be. In Paradise thou didst possess this treasure. Then thou couldst love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. And now thou must again be like as thou hast been. For otherwise thou canst not enter the kingdom of God. 'If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.' Matt. xix, 17. And Luke x, 28. 'This do and thou shalt live.' The commandment must necessarily be kept. It is in vain to argue that any one can be saved, without loving God with all the heart, and his neighbor as himself. The commandments must be kept, as purely and as perfectly as the angels in Heaven keep them.

"Therefore it is not right, but intolerable, to preach as some anciently did, and some crazy spirits still do, that whether we keep the commandments, or love God and our neighbor, does not matter much, if we only believe, we shall be saved. Oh no, dear sir! Thou art mistaken. Thou must verily keep the commandments, and love God and thy neighbor. For it is plainly written, 'If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.' And Gal. v, 21, 'They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.' This doctrine Christ wants to enforce among Christians. They must understand what they have been, what they must do, and what they again must be, that they may not remain in their present condition, for then they will be lost. Thus the Lord plainly declares, 'Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.' Matt. v, 17. 'Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the judgment.' Matt. xii, 36. And Paul in Rom. viii, 4, and iii, 31; 'That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' 'Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.' For this very reason we teach faith, that the law may be fulfilled.

"Now it is well to understand what we must be; but in order to get strength to do it, and that we preach not in vain, we must also realize how and by what means we can obtain this strength. . . .

"Thus it is given us through Christ, that although we do not fulfil the law, yet we receive full pardon for all of our sins. But this is not with the provision that we should never keep the law, or always continue in sin, nor that we should teach thus: If thou hast faith, thou art not obliged to love God and thy neighbor; but now we should begin first of all to keep the law, which is the perpetual, immutable, and never-ceasing will of God. With this it is necessary to preach the grace of God, that we may find counsel and help to do right.

"Therefore, whosoever can, let him teach, first of all the ten commandments, our obligations to God, for if those are not understood, there is no inquiry after Christ.

"How do I know that I lie drowned in the misery of sin? Only through the law, which must convince me of my poverty and disease, otherwise I would not inquire for help nor healing. . . . Christ will also nourish us as a hen her chickens, that is, he will give unto us his Holy Spirit and strength, that we may commence to love God and keep his commandments."