Certainty

Luther's always talking about "certainty."  Again and again, he says that thus-and-such cannot be true, because if it were true we would have no certainty.

I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why "but then we would have no certainty" meant X-ing out an argument without further consideration.  Wasn't that just wishful thinking?  "Hey, I want to be certain of my salvation.  I want to be certain that I am God's child.  And if we can't hang onto our certainty, then let's just ditch that idea!  After all, we can't let it mess up my certainty."

So I finally asked.  "Where does the Bible tell us that God wants us to be certain?  I don't see a passage like that anywhere."

And the answer?  "I have called you by name; you are Mine.  Does that sound iffy to you?  I forgive you all your sins.  Is that conditional?  As far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed your transgressions from you.  That sounds like God really means it, like He's certain.  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Any chance there might be some condemnation for you?  No?  Well, that sounds pretty certain to me."  As the Bible verses poured forth, it became clear.

If God tells the truth, then, by-gum, we can be certain.