Faith Harder Than It Seems

To those who have not tried, it seems a very easy matter indeed to receive forgiveness of sins by doing nothing more than simply believing. "If only I were called upon to do good works in order to attain it!" Faith seems to be a trifling matter. But try how easy it is; then you will see that faith is a divine power and not the power of a man.

Although it is thought to be so easily performed, a Christian will say: "What a difficult art it is to believe these words!" For when your eyes rest on death, sin, devil, and world, and your conscience struggles when the battle is joined, I dare say you will break into a cold sweat and say: I had rather walk to St. James [a popular pilgrimage place of the time] in armor than suffer this anguish.

But faith seems a trifling matter to folk who live without temptation and are secure: tough people. But the Christian says in temptation: "Be quiet, my conscience, death, sin, world, and devil. I do not hear you. I will close my eyes and cling only to [God's gracious] words." Then you will see whether faith is a trifling art.

Otherwise people think: Doing good works is a heavy task, but believing is something that is soon done. To be sure, faith does seem to be an easy matter; but it really is a difficult art. Temptation and experience certainly teach that, on the contrary, we must say that clinging to God's Word, so that the heart is not afraid of sins and death but trusts and believes God, is a far more bitter and difficult task than observing all the rules of the Carthusian and monastic orders.

Reason can easily put on a cowl, can let the hair be cut off, can mumble, pray, and fast. Natural powers are able to do what monastic holiness does. But no monk or priest knows the art of turning the heart about and boldly relying on God's Word in the agony of death so that a person does not fear death but rejoices when it comes.

Source: Quoted in Ewald M. Plass, What Luther Says, A Practical In-home Theology for the Active Christian. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 1959 Edition, 10th Printing (1994), p. 481