Luther Quote of the Day

The Christian life does not mean to stand still, but to move from that which is good to that which is better. St. Bernard [of Clairvaux] rightly says: 'As soon as you do not desire to become better, then you have ceased to be good.' It does not help a tree to have green leaves and flowers if it does not bear fruit besides its flowers. For this reason [not bearing fruit], many nominal Christians perish in their flowering. The Christian is always... in the state of becoming, always in the state of potentiality, always in the condition of activity. He is always in sin and always in justification. He is always a sinner, but also always repentant and so always righteous... No one is so good as that he could not become better; no one is so evil, as that he could not become worse.
- Martin Luther, writing on Romans 12:1-2.

(Note: If you read this quote of Luther as justifying your comfort in your sin, then you have read him incorrectly. If you hear him to be saying that it's OK to always struggle with the same sins and never make progress in sanctification, then you have read him incorrectly. On the other hand, if you 'see' the 'cross chart' (increasing awareness of sin -- increasing awareness of God's holiness -- increasing repentance and trust in the passive righteousness of Christ) as you read his quote, then I dare say you are reading Dr. Luther correctly.)