We Have the Same Christ

Martin Luther, on Galatians 2:11:

The Scripture describes such errors and offenses of the saints for the comfort of those who are afflicted and oppressed with despair, and for the terror of the proud. No one has ever fallen so badly that he cannot rise again. And on the other hand, no one is so surefooted that he cannot fall. If Peter fell, I may fall too. If he rose again, I may also rise again. Faint hearts and tender consciences should make the most of examples such as these, so that they may understand better what it is they pray for when they say, “Forgive us our trespasses” and “I believe in the forgiveness of sins.” We have the very same spirit of grace and prayer that the apostles and all the saints had; they had no special prerogative we do not have. We have the same gifts they had, the same Christ, baptism, Word, forgiveness of sins. They had no less need of any of these than we have, and they were sanctified and saved by them just as we are.