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A seal, known as Martin Luther's Seal, is a world-wide symbol for many Lutherans. Martin Luther designed a seal that expressed his theology. He wanted to make sure the colors and symbols were clearly understood. Martin Luther wrote his friend, Herr Spengler, an explanation of his personal seal. Spengler was the town clerk of Nuremberg, and Luther was a professor teaching at Wittenberg. Following are words from Martin Luther:

The first thing expressed in my seal is a cross, black, with the heart, to put me in mind that faith in Christ crucified saves us. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness."

Now, although the cross is black, mortified, and intended to cause pain, yet it does not change the colour of the heart, does not destroy nature -- i.e., does not kill, but keeps alive. "For the just shall live by faith -- by faith in the Saviour."

But this heart is fixed upon the centre of a white rose, to show that faith causes joy, consolation and peace. The rose is white, not red, because white is the ideal colour of all angels and blessed spirits.

This rose, moreover, is fixed in a sky-coloured ground, to denote that such joy of faith in the spirit is but an earnest and beginning of heavenly joy to come, as anticipated and held by hope, though not yet revealed.

And around this groundbase is a golden ring, to signify that such bliss in heaven is endless, and more precious than all joys and treasures, since gold is the best and most precious metal. Christ, our dear Lord, He will give grace unto eternal life.



Martin Luther's rose is not something to be worshiped in itself. But the symbolism reminds us that what sets us apart as Christians is grace. Grace, that, in Martin Luther's words, "Christ, our dear Lord, will give unto eternal life."

If we continue in God's word, we are truly his disciples; and we will know the truth, and the truth will make us free. Grace: the truth that will make us free.