A prolific writer, Martin Luther penned commentaries, theological papers, lectures, and a Bible translation. His students carefully transcribed hundreds more of his lectures, and even his dinner conversations. Over the following 500 years, autobiographies by the score entered the library of works by and about Martin Luther. One glance at the Martin Luther section at any bookstore quickly overwhelms the casual reader and even stymies the dedicated Luther student. Where to start?

Faith Alone is just the book for beginners and the dedicated alike. This devotional takes the words of Luther and breaks them down into bite-sized readings perfect for daily consumption. The editor, James C. Galvin, pairs each reading with Scripture, highlighting the truth Luther is illuminating with his words. The team behind Faith Alone carefully translated selections of Luther’s works from German into modern English. They chose excerpts such as the gem found in the devotion for January 9. Here Luther explains the text of I Peter 1:17: “So if you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth in fear. He is the God who judges all people by what they have done, and he doesn’t play favorites.” (Note: Faith Alone uses the God’s Word translation of the Bible.)

Luther says: “If a Christian is a sincere believer, he has all of God’s treasures and is God’s child. The rest of his life on earth is merely a pilgrimage. God allows him to live in this body and walk on this earth so that he can help other people and bring them to heaven. Therefore, we must use all things on earth in no other way than as a guest who travels across the country and comes to an inn. He spends the night there and takes only food and lodging from the innkeeper. He doesn’t claim that the innkeeper’s property now belongs to him. This is how we must deal with material possessions, as if they did not belong to us. We should enjoy only as much as is necessary for us to maintain the body and use the rest to help our neighbors.”

Some of the selections in the book do remain difficult to muddle through—even after translation, and simplifying Luther’s writings aren’t always easy to decipher.

Faith Alone stands as an excellent introductory taste of the varied works of Martin Luther. Every home needs a copy.

Andrea Christenson
Amery Free Lutheran Church
Amery, WI

Order your copy here: Ambassador Publications Online Store