Isaac's Keep | Reformed Canton Church in Downtown Canton, GA

I was reading Martin Luther’s introduction to the Theologia Germanica, a book whose author is unknown, yet Luther considered it very insightful, so much so that he had it printed in Wittenberg and distributed throughout Germany. In the introduction Luther speaks of the “ordered life.” He very succinctly and I believe correctly identifies the four kinds of people who deal with order, command, and rule in four different ways. We would be well served to take a look ourselves.

#1: Some lead an ordered life neither for God’s sake nor out of a particular personal desire, but simply because they are compelled. They do the least possible and it all turns sour and burdensome for them.

#2: A second group observes laws and rules for the sake of reward. That is, people who believe that it is possible to earn the kingdom of heaven and eternal life. They consider that person holy who observes a great many rules. The person who neglects even some little rule, they believe, is lost to the devil. They show great seriousness and diligence in keeping the rules, yet, after a time, it all turns sour and burdensome from them.

#3: The third kind of people are the wicked, false people who think of themselves as perfect and are quick to tell you just how perfect they are. They think they do not need any rules and laws and, in fact, scoff at any talk about “order.”

#4: Fourth, we have those who have been illumined by God and guided by the true Light. They do not practice the ordered life in expectation of reward. They do not want to acquire anything with the aid of reward, nor do they hope that they will some day reap some reward because of it. No, they do what they do in the ordered life out of love.

They are not so concerned about the outcome, about how a particular behavior will turn out, how soon, and so on. Their concern is rather that things will work out well, in peace and inner ease. And if sometimes some less important rules have to be neglected, they are not lost in despair.

They know, of course, that order and rectitude are better and nobler than the lack of it. So they want to keep the rules, but they also know that their salvation and happiness are not dependent on the observance of rules. Therefore they are not as anxious as others.

What kind of person are you in regards to living an “ordered life?”