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Battle of the Soul: Luther Reforms Vice and Virtue
You slam on the brakes, fuming, and a few choice words pop into your head to spew at the person who just cut you off in traffic. Something ugly rises in your heart as you scroll past another person's latest achievement on social media. Sound familiar? We might gloss over them, but these sins have anger and envy. When we recognize them for what they are, by the power of the Spirit, we can begin to fight their hold over us. This is the daily battle of the baptized Christian. But how does this play out in everyday life? By linking the vice and virtue tradition with the Ten Commandments and the fruit of the Spirit, Martin Luther offered a faithful way for Christians to equip themselves for this fight. As we daily drown our vices and fight against our sinful nature, the Holy Spirit works in us to produce the fruit of faith-to help us grow in virtue and live out our faith in service to others according to the Ten Commandments.
Battle of the Soul will guide you through Luther's understanding of each Christian's daily battle against sin, using the framework of the seven deadly sins and their contrasting virtues. By the end, you'll be equipped to live out your Baptism each day by fighting against sin in your life and growing more and more like Christ..
Battle of the Soul will guide you through Luther's understanding of each Christian's daily battle against sin, using the framework of the seven deadly sins and their contrasting virtues. By the end, you'll be equipped to live out your Baptism each day by fighting against sin in your life and growing more and more like Christ..
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2023
8 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 23, 2024
Second Reading:
The concept is great, I love the pairing of Luther's Small Catechism on the 10 commandments with the vices and then also the fruits of the Spirit. This book could have used more practical suggestions for how to cultivate the virtues and how to squash the vices. But we had some pretty good discussion the Bible study group about those things. Also, we could have used a discussion about the armor of God from Ephesians 6 in the book.
Original Review:
This book is exactly what I'd hoped it would be, which is a call to "work out [our] salvation" by practicing the virtues, or fruits of the Spirit, and putting to death our vices.
Sanctification is indeed a gift from God, but we will never develop good habits, nor will we curb our active sins, without making the effort. We are not passive agents, employing the "think system" like in 'The Music Man', but we can and should work toward goodness, because our neighbor needs it.
This is the type of book we Lutherans need, since we are too quick to spurn/scoff at piety in daily living, while many of us at the same time add more pious behaviors to our participation in worship. Whether I cover my hair as a woman, fold my hands in the right way, genuflect or bow at the right points in the Divine Service don't pierce my heart of stone, since these are behaviors that do nothing for anyone else (these things are not mentioned in this book, just based on my observations of where confessional Lutherans are moving currently). But whether I strive to avert my eyes from lewd imagery, to curb my tongue of unwholesome speech, to speak the truth in love, or to practice generosity and patience actually make a difference to other people. The works God prepared for us to do are always in relation to other people: the horizontal realm of righteousness, which is what active participation in sanctification seeks to practice.
Highly recommend.
The concept is great, I love the pairing of Luther's Small Catechism on the 10 commandments with the vices and then also the fruits of the Spirit. This book could have used more practical suggestions for how to cultivate the virtues and how to squash the vices. But we had some pretty good discussion the Bible study group about those things. Also, we could have used a discussion about the armor of God from Ephesians 6 in the book.
Original Review:
This book is exactly what I'd hoped it would be, which is a call to "work out [our] salvation" by practicing the virtues, or fruits of the Spirit, and putting to death our vices.
Sanctification is indeed a gift from God, but we will never develop good habits, nor will we curb our active sins, without making the effort. We are not passive agents, employing the "think system" like in 'The Music Man', but we can and should work toward goodness, because our neighbor needs it.
This is the type of book we Lutherans need, since we are too quick to spurn/scoff at piety in daily living, while many of us at the same time add more pious behaviors to our participation in worship. Whether I cover my hair as a woman, fold my hands in the right way, genuflect or bow at the right points in the Divine Service don't pierce my heart of stone, since these are behaviors that do nothing for anyone else (these things are not mentioned in this book, just based on my observations of where confessional Lutherans are moving currently). But whether I strive to avert my eyes from lewd imagery, to curb my tongue of unwholesome speech, to speak the truth in love, or to practice generosity and patience actually make a difference to other people. The works God prepared for us to do are always in relation to other people: the horizontal realm of righteousness, which is what active participation in sanctification seeks to practice.
Highly recommend.
November 1, 2025
This has a lot of very good and helpful information. I especially appreciated the prayers he offers at the end.
It lacks readability. It's pretty clear he wrote a long scholastic paper and turned it into a book without much change. It's not engaging or compelling. It is slow and dry and takes work to get through.
It lacks readability. It's pretty clear he wrote a long scholastic paper and turned it into a book without much change. It's not engaging or compelling. It is slow and dry and takes work to get through.
March 14, 2025
This wonderfully devotional book connects the traditional vices (and their opposite virtues) to the 10 commandments in a way that helps Christians clarify a pious, Christian life. This is an encouraging, yet personally challenging read.
December 9, 2023
A most very insightful and practical examination of vices and virtues!!
Modern Lutherans are.not accustomed to thinking much about the ancient discussions pertaining to vices and virtues. Enter a most insightful and practical book that brings forth from the writings of Martin Luther a new understanding in the style of Luther's catechism (especially Luther's explanations of the Ten Commandments) that gives new meaning and purpose for the Christian life!! And it is well framed as "Battle of the Soul: Luther Reforms Vice and Virtue"!
Honestly, I had no clue this manuscript was originally an a,scenic paper; it is so thought edited for publication to make it accessible for laypeople and absolutely practical! I love that the discussion questions for each chapter are immediately following the chapter rather than tucked away at the end of the book! This is a book that begs to be studied and discussed with friends!
I highly recommend this book for everyone!! I know that I will read it again and look for other future writings from this author!!
Modern Lutherans are.not accustomed to thinking much about the ancient discussions pertaining to vices and virtues. Enter a most insightful and practical book that brings forth from the writings of Martin Luther a new understanding in the style of Luther's catechism (especially Luther's explanations of the Ten Commandments) that gives new meaning and purpose for the Christian life!! And it is well framed as "Battle of the Soul: Luther Reforms Vice and Virtue"!
Honestly, I had no clue this manuscript was originally an a,scenic paper; it is so thought edited for publication to make it accessible for laypeople and absolutely practical! I love that the discussion questions for each chapter are immediately following the chapter rather than tucked away at the end of the book! This is a book that begs to be studied and discussed with friends!
I highly recommend this book for everyone!! I know that I will read it again and look for other future writings from this author!!
November 25, 2025
A helpful book on living the life Christ gives us.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews