The Holy Spirit lies at the crux of Martin Luther’s theological framework and is essential in understanding his teachings. This is seen not only through the teachings of both the large and small catechisms but also in his hymns and sermons as well. More than this, it is clear that Luther’s understanding of the Holy Spirit is greatly informed by his understanding of the Trinity and Augustine’s use of Pauline materials, which Luther adopts into his theological tool-kit. Ultimately, Luther’s theology and more specifically his view of the Holy Spirit serves as an invaluable resource for preachers and church leaders alike for the message Luther fosters is the very proclamation of the Gospel, comfort.
In Luther’s Large Catechism, he discusses the third article of the creed, which
examines the work of the Holy Spirit. Above all, Luther talks about the work of
the Holy Spirit sanctifying humanity. He writes, “I cannot give a better title
than “Being Made Holy.”[1]
This is especially pertinent in 21st century America because there
is an Evangelical Christian phenomenon that emphasizes the work of the
individual to make oneself holy. This attempted journey to sanctification is
birthed out of biblical interpretation and the idea that one can become like
Jesus. When Jesus becomes an example for holy living one runs a continual and
relentless risk of despair. In Dr. Timothy Wengert’s book, Reading the Bible with Martin Luther, he is forward in his
commentary on the acronym WWJD? where he asserts, “WWJD? He would hit you over
the head and say, ‘Get over it! Stop turning me into a lawgiver! It is not
about you and your precious rules and how you clobber others with them; it is
about the mercy of God.’”[2]
There is a notion that one might work
one’s entire life to climb the ladder of holiness with hopes that God will
reward this effort. This is not the reality of sanctification; instead Luther
asserts that they Holy Spirit is the active agent who sanctifies the believers.
The message of the Holy Spirit and its
reality in the life of a Christian is one of the most important realities that
a leader can teach their flock. The message of the Holy Spirit is one that every
individual finds virtually impossible to believe, in part due to this “ladder
to holiness” concept floating about in America (and elsewhere), but also
because the old creature[3]
within an individual finds it hard to believe that the work is done. In the Large
Catechism, Luther understands that the Holy Spirit allows an individual to
undergo a daily baptism. The first baptism is of water and the Word but there
is a daily dying to sin and raising in Christ. Luther writes,
Baptism
is nothing else than the slaying of the old Adam and the resurrection of the
new creature, both of which must continue in us our whole life long. Thus a
Christian life is nothing else than a daily baptism, begun once and continuing
ever after. For we must keep at it without ceasing, always purging whatever
pertains to the old Adam, so that whatever belongs to the new creature may come
forth. What is the old creature? It is what is born in us from Adam, irascible,
spiteful, envious, unchaste, greedy, lazy, proud—yes—and unbelieving; it is
beset with all vices and by nature has nothing good in it. Now, when we enter
Christ’s kingdom, this corruption must daily decrease so that the longer we
live the more gentle, patient, and meek we become, and the more we break away
from greed, hatred, envy, and pride.[4]
Throughout Luther’s Large Catechism he emphasizes that the
Holy Spirit makes humanity holy and the Holy Spirit continues to make humanity
holy. This is not a single action done by the Holy Spirit at a stagnant point
on a timeline; instead this is a continuous action that the Holy Spirit works
throughout the life of the believer. Luther writes, “The Holy Spirit works
through the following: the community of saints or Christian church, the
forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”[5]
This sanctification is essential in the life of a believer because without this
process one could not know God. No one could know Christ or accept Christ as
the Messiah, God incarnate, without the aid of the Holy Spirit. This is enabled
by the Holy Spirit through the pure preaching of the gospel, which occurs from
the pulpit and through the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.[6]
Without the Holy Spirit’s presence there is no Christian community because the
Holy Spirit is essential in calling, gathering, and creating community. Luther
asserts, “…apart from [the Holy Spirit] no one can come to the Lord Christ.”[7]
He goes on to write, “I believe that there is on earth a holy little flock and
community of pure saints under one head, Christ. It is called together by the Holy
Spirit in one faith, mind, and understanding.”[8]
Luther reiterates the importance of the Holy Spirit and humanity’s utter
dependence on the Holy Spirit throughout his
Large Catechism.
In the Small Catechism, Luther reduces this explanation to three rich and
powerful sentences. In the first sentence Luther sums up his entire exploration
of the work of the Holy Spirit saying,
I
believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus
Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me
through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in
true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole
Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true
faith.[9]
Luther
emphasizes the human’s utter dependence on faith, which does not exist apart
from the Holy Spirit and the proclamation of the Word. The human cannot come to
Christ without the aid of the Holy Spirit and one cannot partake in God’s
saving power without the Holy Spirit. This is difficult for humans to
understand or come to terms with because humans want to secure their salvation
through their own means even though it leads to despair.
God’s Spirit within humanity
is expressed in the love of one’s heart and remains there throughout one’s
life.[10] Prenter writes, “The Holy
Spirit must be understood as the direct presence of God”[11] in the life of a human
being. One does not want to run the risk of diminishing the importance of the
life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ through negating the importance
of the Holy Spirit. One who says that the one does not need the Holy Spirit in
order to come to Jesus diminishes this fact. As Timothy Wengert writes in A Formula for Parish Practice, “If we
diminish sin and the human predicament, we are at the same time reducing the
importance of Jesus’ saving death and resurrection and the work of the Holy
Spirit in declaring us righteous and making us holy in God’s sight.”[12]
Martin Luther’s understanding of the Holy
Spirit, which runs through all of his work, is important in considering all of
Luther’s theology. Luther understands the Holy Spirit to be indispensable in
the faith of humankind and without this grace given as a free gift from the
Holy Spirit one can do nothing. Each part of the godhead is vital in the whole
and each part sustains, redeems, and creates including the Holy Spirit. It is
essential that all public theologians might consider this and teach it to their
people because the Holy Spirit runs through the veins of congregations—building
up, strengthening, sustaining, and redeeming the human sinners.
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[1] LC 435:35
[2], Wengert, Reading the Bible with Martin Luther, 23.[3] 2 Corinthians 5:17 makes mention of the
new creature that comes as a result of baptism. The Old Creature dies daily
until it is finally destroyed. The Old Creature represents our prebaptismal
self that lives inside, fueled by the Devil and self to fight against Christ
and Christ’s power.[4] LC 465:65-67
[5] LC 435:37
[6] LC 436:38
[7] LC 436:45-46
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