Luther's Essay on Secular Authority - Part 3

Luther’s Essay on Secular Authority – Part Three

Luther’s Aim – Explain how a prince should go about exercising his authority

Luther’s Audience – Those who want to be Christian rulers and lords and who give some thought to their salvation

Luther’s Points

• “Do not lord your authority over your subjects”
• Must use his own reason to firmly control the Law and the Sword and apply it correctly
• Look to his subjects and see that he is rightly disposed to them
• Direct all his efforts towards being of use and service to them
• It is possible to be a Christian and a Prince
• “Be aware of one’s counselors”
• Despise no one, but trust no one (ie don’t leave everything to someone) [Example of Balaam’s donkey and Lucifer’s fall]
• “You cannot know if anyone is a Christian or how long he will remain one.” Did Luther believe you can lose your salvation?
• Rulers must do things themselves
• “Let a prince take care how he meets out justice to wrongdoers”
• A Prince must punish the wicked in such a way that he does not cause his country chaos for one man’s head
• “He is to look to the unjustices suffered by others and not the damage he suffers himself, considering what others will suffer if he exacts punishment” 39
• Do not wage war with your superior
• When you fight a war consider your subjects first
• Acts 5:29 If your leader is unjust, follow God, not the leader
• A prince must act like a Christian to God
• Debts among Christians should be settled to the extent that the other person still has what he needs
• If it is among non-Christians, let a secular judge settle it. Why a secular judge?

Luther once again presents interesting points, but similar to the previous parts, I am not sure how practical these ideas are. Also, the questions I have posed in my summary of Luther are worthy of consideration. Luther does not address why, in the last point, a secular judge should settle a non-Christians dispute. It seems that a Christian would be better suited to settle any dispute, not just that of other Christians.