and immutably, or if you scorn such knowledge, how will you
be able to believe His promises, and with full assurance trust and rely
upon them? When He promises, you ought to be sure that He knows what He
is promising, and is able and willing to accomplish it, else you will
account Him neither true nor faithful. That, however, is unbelief,
extreme impiety, and a denial of the most high God. But how will you be
confident and sure if you do not know that He certainly, infallibly,
unchangeably, and necessarily knows, and wills, and will perform what He
promises? Nor should we merely be certain that God necessarily and
immutably wills and will perform [what He has promised], but we should
even glory in this very thing, as Paul does, Rom. 3, 4: 'Let God be
true, but every man a liar.' And again, Rom. 9, 6; 4, 21; 1 Sam. 3, 19:
'Not that the Word of God hath taken none effect.' And in another place,
2 Tim. 2, 19: 'The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal,
The Lord knoweth them that are His.' And in Titus 1, 2: 'Which God, that
cannot lie, hath promised before the world began.' And in Heb. 11, 6:
'He that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that He is a
rewarder of them that hope in Him.' So, then, Christian faith is
altogether extinguished, the promises of God and the entire Gospel fall
absolutely to the ground, if we are taught and believe that we have no
need of knowing the foreknowledge of God to be necessary and the
necessity of all things that must be done. For this is the only and
highest possible consolation of Christians in all adversities to know
that God does not lie, but does all things immutably, and that His will
can neither be resisted, nor altered, nor hindered." (E. 137. 264; St.
L. 1695. 1845.)

244. There Are No Real Contradictions in God.

Among the mysteries which we are unable to solve Luther enumerates the
questions: Why did God permit the fall of Adam? Why did He suffer us to
be infected with original sin? Why does God not change the evil will?
Why is it that some are converted while others are lost? We read: "But
why does He not at the same time change the evil will which He moves?
This pertains to the secrets of His majesty, where His judgments are
incomprehensible. Nor is it our business to investigate, but to adore
these mysteries. If, therefore, flesh and blood here take offense and
murmur, let them murmur; but they will effect nothing, God will not be
changed on that account.