Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness.
Martin LutherRead
If we esteem them too highly, good works can become the greatest idolatry.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Overvaluing good deeds can lead to idolizing them instead of valuing their true purpose.
This quote by Martin Luther highlights the potential danger in placing excessive value on good works. While good deeds are important, treating them as idols can distract from their true intent and purpose, which should be about serving and glorifying a higher principle rather than seeking personal glory or approval.
Themes
IdolatryGood WorksEsteemPurposeValues
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about ethics, this quote could be used to illustrate the importance of intention behind actions.
More from Martin Luther
All quotes βNow if I believe in God's Son and remember that He became man, all creatures will appear a hundred times more beautiful to me than before. Then I will properly appreciate the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, apples, as I reflect that he is Lord over all things. ...God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.
Martin LutherRead
It is the part of a Christian to take care of his own body for the very purpose that, by its soundness and wellbeing, he may be enabled to labour, and to acquire and preserve property, for the aid of those who are in want, that thus the stronger member may serve the weaker member, and we may be children of God, and busy for one another, bearing one another's burdens, and so fulfiling the law of Christ.
Martin LutherRead
Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has; it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but more frequently than not struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God.
Martin LutherRead
We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands.
Martin LutherRead
In a mouse we admire God's creation and craft work. The same may be said about flies.
Martin LutherRead
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The mark of a man of the world is absence of pretension.
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The magnitude of the punishment matches the magnitude of the sin. Now a sin that is against God is infinite; the higher the person against whom it is committed, the graver the sin-it is more criminal to strike a head of state than a private citizen-and God is of infinite greatness. Therefore an infinite punishment is deserved for a sin committed against Him.
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Hell is having to execute a pointless act from which nothing ever comes except the need to do it again.
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