Christ, the center

John A. Braun

Over the past few years, I haveĀ grownĀ closer to Luther than I ever imagined.Ā Research, reading, writing, research again, reading more, and writing again have brought Luther into focus more clearly for me than ever before.Ā For that I am grateful.Ā I don’t consider myself a Luther expert, but the focus I have acquired is important.Ā 

I think that the greatest clarity comes from understanding the central principle Luther found in the Scriptures and onĀ whichĀ heĀ stood.Ā It was Christ!Ā He said and wrote as much often.Ā Ā 

When he learned that so many of the common people in the churches in Saxony, had ā€œno knowledgeĀ whatever of Christian doctrine,ā€Ā he wrote the Small Catechism which has one of the greatestĀ confessions of his faith in Christ: ā€œIĀ believe that Jesus Christ . . .Ā has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil,Ā not with gold or silver but with his holy precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death.ā€Ā Luther captured the central message of the Bible.Ā For Luther it was never a dry academic principle.Ā Luther wrote personally; he said ā€œme.ā€Ā That’s the beauty of Luther.Ā He points us to Christ because he treasures Christ.Ā We too have come to treasure Christ.Ā 

This wasn’t an isolated incident.Ā At home in Wittenberg, boarders, friends,Ā and relativesĀ oftenĀ joined Luther at the supper table to listen to him and learn.Ā Once he said, ā€œIf anybody strays from theĀ center, it is impossible for him to have the circle around him, he must blunder. The center is Christā€ (Luther’s WorksĀ [LW], Vol. 54, p.Ā 45).Ā AgainĀ ChristĀ and,Ā therefore,Ā faith and forgiveness.Ā 

LutherĀ had to struggle to discover the greatness of God’s grace in Christ.Ā He was tormented by his unworthiness before a holy, just,Ā andĀ omnipotent God.Ā When the Holy Spirit opened his eyes and enlightened him, he confessed it was as if paradise was openedĀ for him.Ā Then theĀ words of Scripture became a clear message of ChristĀ thatĀ LutherĀ was not willing to abandon,Ā no matter what the cost.Ā 

Perhaps we may considerĀ LutherĀ a kind of idol when we consider all thatĀ God brought to pass because of him.Ā But human idols are not perfect,Ā and neither is Luther.Ā He was a sinner whose flaws are easy to discover. But Christ was his treasure and hope.Ā He said, ā€œThe Christian faith differs from other religions in this, that the Christian hopes even in the midst of evils and sinsā€ (LW, Vol.Ā 54, p.Ā 70).Ā 

RatherĀ thanĀ Ā beingĀ an idol to whom we give blind reverence, Luther is a signpost, pointing us to the ScripturesĀ and to the message of the Scriptures—Christ.Ā Ā 

In the past few months IĀ alsoĀ have read commentsĀ by my brothers and sisters in the faithĀ about being Lutheran.Ā A few of those comments are included in this issue.Ā Some of them are in the special insert, and another page sharesĀ thoughtsĀ from confessional Lutherans around the world.Ā As I read all of these comments, I stand in grateful praise to God for what he has done in bringing them also to be signposts pointing to Christ.Ā As you read them, I suggest you consider how many times they point to the certainty of salvation in Christ.Ā Ā 

Not only are they all signposts,Ā butĀ they are also examples thatĀ encourage us all to share our faith and to point others to Christ.Ā For Luther, forĀ these believers, for all of us,Ā Christ is the center.Ā Christ isĀ still theĀ message the world desperately needs.Ā 


John Braun is executive editor of the Forward in Christ magazine.


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Author: John A. Braun
Volume 104, Number 10
Issue: October 2017

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