ectypal.net

...in some ways in that first sentence in thesis 28, you could say you have almost the whole of Luther's theology summarized in 8, 9, 10 words: Divine Love is creative. Divine love precedes that which it finds lovely. It's electing love. Why does God love you? Not because you have obeyed his law, and therefore he looked down and said "that person has done what is in them; there's something teeny bit attractive about them. I think my love is going to move towards them and bless them." No, Luther says the logic of the Cross is this: God looks down and says "that person is violent disgusting; that is a person who is not [lovely]... I'm going to move towards that person and my love is going to make them lovely"