March 16, 1522
Dr. Martin Luther
Preacher at Wittenberg
In our discussion of the chief things we have come to the reception of the sacrament, which we have not yet finished. Today we shall see how we must conduct ourselves here, and also who is worthy to receive the sacrament and who belongs there.
It is very necessary here that your hearts and consciences be well instructed, so that you distinguish well between the outward reception and the inner and spiritual reception. This is the bodily and outward reception, when you receive with your mouth the body of Christ and His blood. Anyone can receive the sacrament in this way, for such reception may be without faith and love. But that reception does not make you a Christian, for if it did, even a mouse would be a Christian, for it can likewise eat the bread and drink out of the cup. It is such a simple thing to do. But the true, inner, spiritual reception is a very different thing, for it consists in the right use of the sacrament and of its fruits.
I would say in the first place that such reception is the true inner one, and is a reception in faith. We Christians have no other outward sign by which we may be distinguished from others than this sacrament and baptism. But a mere outward reception, without faith, amounts to nothing. There must be faith to make one well prepared for the reception and acceptable before God, otherwise it is all sham and a mere external show, which is not Christianity at all. Christianity is a thing of faith, which is never bound to any external work.
But faith (which we all must have, if we wish to go to the sacrament worthily) is a firm trust, that Christ, the Son of God, stands in our place and has taken all our sins upon His shoulders, that He is the eternal satisfaction for our sin and reconciles us with God the Father. If you have this faith you may receive this sacrament, and neither devil nor hell nor sin can harm you. Do you ask why? Because God is your protector and defender. And when I have this faith, then I am certain God is fighting for me. I can defy devil, death, hell and sin and all the harm with which they threaten me. This is the great, inestimable treasure given us in Christ, which the words of man fail to describe. Only faith can take hold of the heart, and not everyone has such faith.
Therefore this sacrament must not be made a law, as the most Holy Father, the pope, has done with his fools’ commandment: All Christians must go to the sacrament on holy Easter, and he who does not go shall not be buried in consecrated ground. Isn’t this a foolish law which the pope has set up? You ask why? Because we are not all alike. We do not all have equal faith. The faith of one is stronger than that of another. It is therefore impossible that the sacrament can be made a law, and the greatest sins are committed at Easter solely on account of this unchristian command, which tries to drive everybody to the sacrament. And if all robbery, usury, depravity and all the other sins were thrown into one pile, this sin would surpass it — even though it seems to be the holiest of all deeds. And why? Because the pope can look into no one’s heart to see whether he has faith or not.
But if you believe that God is with you and that He stakes all His treasures and His blood for you, as if He said: “Walk behind Me without fear or delay, and then let anything try to harm you. Let the devil, death, sin and hell and all creation try it! I will go ahead of you. I will be your captain and your shield. Trust Me and rely upon Me completely” — if you believe in this way you cannot be harmed by devil, hell, sin or death. If God fights for you, what can they do to you?
If you have such faith, you are ready to come to the altar and receive the sacrament as an assurance, or seal, or sign to assure you of God’s promises and grace.
But such faith we do not all have. I wish that one-tenth of the Christians had it! See, such rich, immeasurable treasures, which God in His grace showers upon us, cannot be the possession of every one, but only by those who suffer either bodily or spiritual adversity. Bodily adversity comes through the persecution of man, and spiritual adversity by despair of conscience. Outwardly or inwardly, the devil causes your heart to be weak, timid and discouraged, so that you don’t know how you stand with God, and when he reproaches you with your sins. And in such terrified and trembling hearts alone God desires to dwell, as the prophet Isaiah says. (Isaiah 66:2) For if you have not felt the battle within you, if you are not distressed by your sins nor have a daily quarrel with them, and if you do not wish for a protector, defender and shield to stand before you, you are not yet ready for this food. This food demands a hungering and longing man, for it delights to enter a hungering soul, one that is in constant battle with its sins and eager to be rid of them.
He who is not prepared in this way should abstain for a while from this sacrament, for this food is not for a satisfied and full heart. If it comes to such a person, it is harmful. Therefore, if we think about, and feel within us, such distress of conscience and the fear of a timid heart, we will come with all humbleness and reverence, and not rush to the altar carelessly, with insolence and without fear and humility. We are not always ready for it. Today I have the grace, and am ready for it, but not tomorrow. Yes, it may be that for six months I have neither desire nor fitness for it.
Therefore you are the most worthy to receive the Sacrament when you are constantly harassed by death and the devil. Then you receive it best. It strengthens you in the faith by reminding you that no harm can come to you, because He is now with you. No one can take you away from Him. Let death or the devil or sin come. They cannot harm you.
This is what Christ did, when He prepared to institute the Blessed Sacrament. He brought anguish upon His disciples and trembling to their hearts when He said that He would leave them, (Matthew 26:2) and again they were tormented when He said: “One of you will betray me. (Matthew 26:21) Don’t you think that that cut them to the heart? Truly, they received the word with all fear, and sat there as though they were all traitors to God. And after He had made them all tremble with fear and sorrow, then only did He institute the Blessed Sacrament as a comfort, and consoled them again. For this bread is a comfort for the sorrowing, a healing for the sick, life for the dying, a food for all the hungry, and a rich treasure for all the poor and needy.
Let this be enough at this time concerning the proper use of this sacrament. I commend you to God.
Copyright: Public Domain
Translated by A. Steimle. Edited and Language Modernized by Robert E. Smith
From: The Works of Martin Luther. Philadelphia: A. J. Holman, 1915, 2:387-425.
Nice to see this, great!