Two great men stood side by side in the early Reformation movement. One was, of course, Martin Luther, the activist. The other was Philip Melanchthon, the scholar. Luther once said of their relationship:
I am rough, boisterous, stormy, and altogether warlike, fighting against innumerable monsters and devils. I am born for the removing of stumps and stones, cutting away thistles and thorns, and clearing the wild forests; but master Philippus comes along softly and gently, sowing and watering with joy, according to the gifts which God has abundantly bestowed upon him.
Where did Melanchthon get his strength? What made this gentle, retiring man stand with Luther against the world? The heart of the text, Romans 8:31, gives the answer:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
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