I was re-reading through Martin Luther’s Commentary on Romans and came across a passage about predestination I’ve always loved. I first encountered this passage in college, and have always thought this was profound. Regardless of your view on Calvinism, I think this a very important insight.
“Follow the order of this Epistle (Romans 1-9). Worry first about Christ and the Gospel, that you may recognize your sin and His grace (Romans 1-5); then fight your sin (Rom 6-8), as the first eight chapters here have taught; then, when you have reached the eighth chapter, and are under the cross and suffering, that will teach you the right doctrine of predestination, in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters, and how comforting it is. For the absence of suffering and the cross and the danger of death, one cannot deal with predestination without harm and without secret wrath against God. The old Adam must die before he can endure this subject and drink the strong wine of it. Therefore beware not to drink wine while you are still a suckling. There is a limit, a time, an age for every doctrine.”
