Martin Luther believed that we are always in the midst of a struggle between good and evil. He believed that God’s ultimate intent for the universe is that it be freed from oppression and evil. The kingdom of God, ushered in by Jesus, embodies an ethic of wholeness, justice and fullness of life, which is God’s will for the universe. We live in constant conflict, however, with evil forces that keep us from experiencing that wholeness.
Luther believed that we Christians have the responsibility to be part of this struggle, not to withdraw from it. We are God’s partners in the world, promoting love, justice, and the well-being of all God’s creation.
As Christians we live out of an ethic of love, while simultaneously living within laws designed to maintain order and curb evil influences. Although Luther understood the need to live under structures and laws for the sake of order, he also believed that the dictates of love require that we actively resist those laws when they support evil and oppression. Christians are involved both in the promotion of good and in the active struggle against evil.
This message is excerpted from “Called to be political,” a 2020 resource of the Women of the ELCA.
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