Person of Faith

Martin Luther

Passionate 16th-century German monk, musician, and a man deeply committed to the truth of the Bible. He unintentionally changed the world by standing up for truth.  

Martin Luther
Meet
Martin Luther

Luther was born in Germany in the late 15th century. He was a monk and a musician, but most importantly, a man of deep conviction committed to the truth.

Luther wanted to please God, and always found himself coming up short—until he realized that the Bible’s message was not about what he could do for God, but what God could do for him through Jesus Christ.

His personal angst led him to deep study of the Bible. The answers he found led him to confront the Roman Catholic Church for her misinterpretations and abuses of the Bible. The enlightenment he received led him to translate the Bible into German so anyone in his country could read it. This was dangerous, because God’s Word was locked behind the church doors, reserved only for the eyes of priests.

Luther stood up for the truth and the faith of his neighbors, and accidentally changed the world along the way. He started the Protestant Reformation, though not with the goal of either protest nor reform. Luther just wanted to be faithful to the Word of God, and that he was.

The Life of Martin Luther

Birth
Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, Germany. Though we are certain he was born on November 10, the exact year of his birth remains a mystery. Most say he was born in 1484, but he could have been born in 1483 or 1485.
Education
Luther became an Augustinian monk.
Honors
He led his first Mass as a Catholic priest.
Conflict
Luther became increasingly dissatisfied with Catholic doctrine and practice while teaching theology at the University of Wittenberg.
Publishing
He published his “ninety five theses” protesting the Roman Catholic Church’s sale of indulgences.
Banishment
Luther was excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church at the Diet of Worms. He then lived at Wartburg Castle under the identity of “Knight George.”
Marriage
He married Katherine von Bora.
Writing
Along with Philip Melanchthon, Luther helped draft the Augsburg Confession, the standard statement of Lutheran theology.
Bible Translation
Luther produced his German-language Bible.
Death
He died in Eisleben, Germany.
1484
1505
1507
1513-1518
1517
1521-1522
1525
1530
1534
1546
Testimony
Quote

Lord Jesus,
You are my righteousness...
You have taken upon
yourself what is mine
and given me what is
yours. You have
become what you were
not so that I might
become what
I was not.

Article: 10 Min

Martin Luther’s Shelter Amid the Flood of Depression

by Ryan Griffith at The Gospel Coalition

Image

The righteous
shall live

by faith.

Romans 1:17 ESV
Verse
Romans 3:21-24 NIV

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Quote

Martin Luther's Testimony

Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that “the just shall live by faith.” Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise.

by Martin Luther | Source
Impact
Article: 9 Min

Luther at the Diet of Worms

by Herman Selderhuis at Crossway

DOCUMENTARY
Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer
by Ligonier Ministries | 1 Hour 31 Minutes
This film documents the story of Martin Luther who, in the words of R.C. Sproul, “with a holy boldness...took his stand against the world,” by defending the truths of the Bible in his generation.
Article: 5 Min

15 Luther Quotes on the Sufficiency of Scripture

by Bob Kellemen at RPM Ministries

Quote

All the cunning of
the devil is exercised

in trying to
tear us away
from the Word.

Quote

Remember How Much God Loves You

The highest of all God’s commands is this, that we ever hold up before our eyes the image of his dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. He must daily be to our hearts the perfect mirror, in which we behold how much God loves us and how well, in his infinite goodness, as a faithful God, he has grandly cared for us in that he gave his dear Son for us. Do not let this mirror and throne of grace be torn away from before your eyes.

by Martin Luther | Source
Quote

A layman who has
the Scripture
is more than Pope
or council without it.

Article: 6 Min

Is the Bible Clear, or Hard to Understand?

by Martin Luther at Monergism

Sermon: 80 Min

Martin Luther:
Lessons From
His Life and Labor

by John Piper

Article: 10 Min

Open Letter to Martin Luther About The Gospel of James

by David Mathis at Desiring God

Quote

You should not believe
your conscience

and your feelings
more than the Word
which the Lord
who receives sinners
preaches to you.

Article: 10 Min

Dr. Luther’s Theology

by Dr. Timothy George at Christian History Institute

Praise & Worship

Fortress

by Calvary Creative feat. Scott Cunningham Band

Contemporary

A Mighty Fortress

by Matt Boswell
Article: 5 Min

The Musical Legacy of Martin Luther

by Denise Loock at Open the Bible

Image

The LORD of hosts
is with us.
The God of Jacob
is our fortress.

Psalm 46:10 NKJV
Books
Featured Resource
Luther's Small Catechism
by Martin Luther | Concordia Publishing House
In his own words, Martin Luther’s Small Catechism aims to put Christian doctrine into brief, plain, and simple form. It’s a document of short questions and answers that teaches the basics of what the Bible teaches, including the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Apostles’ Creed. Although Luther wrote it centuries ago, it is still true and helpful for us today!
Books