Jesus was a person of convictions. His cause–the ideal for which he stood—was love. He lived that conviction by healing on the Sabbath, by eating with “questionable” people, by touching people with leprosy and people who were dead, and by forgiving sins. In showing such love, he risked being rejected in his hometown. He risked being criticized for breaking the rules of the Sabbath. He risked becoming “unclean” from having touched others who were ritually unclean. Ultimately, he risked his life.
Martin Luther was also a person of convictions. Luther’s cause was the gospel–the good news that we cannot obtain forgiveness or righteousness from God on our own, but that it comes by God’s grace and through our faith in Jesus. In standing for the gospel, he risked being excommunicated.
Our faith, as both followers of Jesus and as Lutherans, is a product of people who stood for their convictions.
This message is adapted from “Faith reflections: Faith in action” written by Emily K. Hartner that first appeared in the May 2014 issue of Café magazine.
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