Martin Luther

Martin Luther was a great man, but he was a great sinner too; he admitted to the last. One day he was very discouraged.

One thing the devil does to you and me is to egg us on. He tempts us until finally we step over the line.

When a human being steps over the line, plunges into some fault, some sin, does he get encouragement from the devil? No, no! Discouragement. See what you did!

He taunts. What hope is there for you? There is no use trying. You are lost.

I committed one sin, and God cast me out of heaven. Do you think He will save you with all those sins—you, a church member; you, a Christian; you, who did so well? There’s no hope for you. Then he tries to plunge you into the slough of despair.

Martin Luther felt that way one day. It just seemed as if there was no use trying. Finally, he had a dream.

He dreamed that the devil came into his room in Wartburg Castle. Everything was dark; everybody was against him. It may have been more than a dream, but it seemed like a dream.

The devil came in person, and he had a long piece of paper, a parchment, that reached down to the floor. He held it up, and on that piece of paper was a record of all Martin Luther’s sins. He held it up and asked, “Did you commit all these sins, Brother Martin?” Luther hung his hand.

“Yes,” he said, “I committed them all.” “Then what hope is there for you?”

Taunted the devil. Luther was profoundly discouraged, but he noticed all the time the devil was keeping his hand over something down in the bottom of the list.

Finally he said, “What is that under your hand? Take your hand away; let me see it all.” He made the devil take his hand away, and what do you suppose was written there? In red ink it said, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

The devil will keep his hand over that verse when you’re discouraged, but, my friend, look at it and believe it. Then you will be on the other side of the great ledger, and the red mark will cover all.