The Indirect Benefits of Heresies

Error and heresy must come into the world so that the elect may become approved and manifest. Their coming is in the best interests of Christians if they take the proper attitude toward it. St. Augustine, who certainly was sufficiently annoyed by wretched sectaries, says that when heresy and offense come, they produce much benefit in Christendom; for they cause Christians industriously to read Holy Scripture and with diligence to pursue it and persevere in its study. Otherwise they might let it lie on the shelf, become very secure, and say: Why, God's Word and the text of Scripture are current in our midst; it is not necessary for us to read Holy Scripture. But now we are made vigilant and watchful by the heretics and their offense, and because of the conflicts and controversies we understand God's Word better than we did before.

Martin Luther

*Heresies, therefore, are a schooling for the children of God. Luther touches on this thought in the sermon on Matt. 18.8-9, to which we have referred a number of times.*

Source:
What Luther Says, p. 639
Compiled by Ewald M. Plass