Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German monk whose teachings inspired the Reformation and deeply influenced the doctrines and culture of the Lutheran and Protestant traditions. Luther emphasized salvation based on faith in the merits of Jesus Christ alone and not on human efforts to earn God's favor. At the heart of the gospel, in Luther's estimation, was the doctrine of justification by faith--the teaching that Christ's own righteousness is imputed to those who believe, and on that ground alone, they are accepted by God. Martin Luther dealt the symbolic blow that began the Reformation when he nailed his ninety-five theses to the door of the Wittenberg church. That document contained an attack on papal abuses and the sale of indulgences by Catholic Church officials. In this volume the reader will find fifty of Martin Luther's most significant sermons, selected and organized with the lay reader in mind. His sermons reflect the heart of his thoughts on the Christian faith and his ideas for practical life in that faith. The reader will gain a deeper understanding of Luther's thinking on topics important to today's Christian as well as insight into Luther's contribution to Christian practice and thought.
