# “The Word did everything” by Martin Luther

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2015/04/16/the-word-did-everything-by-martin-luther/
- Published: 2015-04-16T15:00:57-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“The Word created heaven and earth and all things [Ps. 33:6]; the Word must do this
thing, and not we poor sinners.

In short, I will preach it, teach it, write it, but I will constrain no man by force,
for faith must come freely without compulsion. Take myself as an example.

I opposed indulgences and all the papists, but never with force. I simply taught,
preached, and wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing.

And while I slept [cf. Mark 4:26–29], or drank Wittenberg beer with my friends Philips
and Amsdorf, the Word so greatly weakened the papacy that no prince or emperor ever
inflicted such losses upon it.

I did nothing; the Word did everything.”

–Martin Luther, [_Luther’s Works, Vol. 51: Sermons I _](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0800603516/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0800603516&linkCode=as2&tag=toletaupanre-20&linkId=3DMMM4CQRT6ADEAY)(
ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald, and Helmut T. Lehmann; vol. 51; Philadelphia:
Fortress Press, 1999), 77.

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