Our Heritage of Holiness: Luther's Heart for Piety Ambassador Publications

Our Heritage of Holiness: Luther's Heart for Piety

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Luther is often remembered as the champion of justification by faith alone. However, the formation of holiness was also front and center for Luther. He wanted to cultivate a living, breathing faith, expressed in love and service for one’s neighbor. Three truths held this vision for holiness together for Luther:
  • God’s Law not only exposes our sin but guides how we are meant to live.
  • There are “Two Kinds of Righteousness” in the life of the believer: a righteousness received passively as a gift from God and a righteousness lived out actively in love and service toward one’s neighbor.
  • Christians are called to reflect God’s holiness in their vocations – at home, in the Church, and in society.

These theological frameworks are the foundation for what a Lutheran heart for holiness is all about. However, Luther did not care about holiness in a vague or general way. Instead, Luther demonstrates that he actually cared about holiness being lived out with a specific emphasis. This emphasis was picked up by the early Lutheran Pietists and turned into a movement. A movement which sought to love the Lord and also love one’s neighbor. Thus, Pietists like Johann Arndt and Philipp Spener were not outliers who drifted from Luther’s heart and mission. Instead, they had a “heritage of holiness” rooted deeply in the theology of Martin Luther himself.

To put that claim to the test, this book looks at five marks that have defined vibrant, pietistic faith: (1) a life of repentance and faith, (2) a devotional study of God’s Word, (3) the priesthood of all believers, (4) a heart for missions and evangelism, and (5) a visible Christianity marked by virtue and character. This book compares each mark with Luther’s own writings to show that Lutheran theology and a serious pursuit of holiness are not mutually exclusive—they belong together.
Luther is often remembered as the champion of justification by faith alone. However, the formation of holiness was also front and center for Luther. He wanted to cultivate a living, breathing faith, expressed in love and service for one’s neighbor. Three truths held this vision for holiness together for Luther: God’s Law not only exposes our sin but guides how we are meant to live. There are “Two Kinds of Righteousness” in the life of the believer: a righteousness received passively as a gift from God and a righteousness lived out actively in love and service toward one’s neighbor. Christians are called to reflect God’s holiness in their vocations – at home, in the Church, and in society. These theological frameworks are the foundation for what a Lutheran heart for holiness is all about. However, Luther did not care about holiness in a vague or general way. Instead, Luther demonstrates that he actually cared about holiness being lived out with a specific emphasis. This emphasis was picked up by the early Lutheran Pietists and turned into a movement. A movement which sought to love the Lord and also love one’s neighbor. Thus, Pietists like Johann Arndt and Philipp Spener were not outliers who drifted from Luther’s heart and mission. Instead, they had a “heritage of holiness” rooted deeply in the theology of Martin Luther himself. To put that claim to the test, this book looks at five marks that have defined vibrant, pietistic faith: (1) a life of repentance and faith, (2) a devotional study of God’s Word, (3) the priesthood of all believers, (4) a heart for missions and evangelism, and (5) a visible Christianity marked by virtue and character. This book compares each mark with Luther’s own writings to show that Lutheran theology and a serious pursuit of holiness are not mutually exclusive—they belong together.