Remember the Reformation
[Remember the Reformation
by Mike Gendron] "...It was October
31, 1517, when Martin Luther nailed
ninety-five theses to the
Castle Church door of Wittenberg.
That church had over 1900 relics of
dead saints on display. Catholics
were granted indulgences for the
remission of sins if they viewed the
relics and made a confession. Luther
became the center of a great
controversy when his theses were
copied and distributed throughout
Europe. His initial protest exposed
the pope's abominable practice of
selling salvation from purgatory's
fire for the price of indulgences.
Many evangelicals today have either
forgotten the Reformation or believe
it was a mistake to divide the
church. Others are denying that his
first thesis, affirmed by Scripture,
is not necessary for salvation.
Luther's first thesis was: "When our
Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said
'Repent', He called for the entire
life of believers to be one of
repentance."
Seven years earlier in 1510, Luther
was sent to Rome. While there, he
climbed Pilate's staircase on his
knees, believing each step would
take away one year in purgatory.
Then God's Word gave him
understanding of the Scripture, "The
just shall live by faith."
Eventually Luther's study of
Scripture led him to oppose Roman
Catholicism on issues pertaining to
the
supreme authority of Scripture
and the
doctrine of Justification.
Catholic bishops had perverted the
way a sinner can be made right with
God by denying it is by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Luther rebuked them with the clear
teaching from God's Word.
Justification, which is God's
declaration that believers are
forgiven of sin and counted
righteous in His sight, occurs at
the moment God imputes the
righteousness of Christ to the
believer (2 Cor. 5:21).
In August of 1518, Luther was
pronounced a heretic without a
defense. On the same day he was
accused, judged and condemned by the
so-called "Holy Father," the only
supreme, infallible authority in
church or state! Indeed the true
spirit of popery was on display. Not
a trace of Christian principle, or
even of common justice, was
witnessed in the process. In October
of that year, Luther's trial began
at Augsburg, and Cardinal Cajetan
ordered Luther to recant his views
on indulgences and papal
infallibility. If he refused, he was
to be excommunicated and share the
same brutal fate as Jon Huss. Luther
frustrated the Cardinal by answering
all objections using Scripture as
his authority. Needless to say, the
large assembly of people had the
opportunity to compare the two men,
and to judge the spirit manifested
in them. What a stark contrast!
Luther was humble, firm and
steadfast in the strength of God and
with truth on his side. The Cardinal
was self-important, overbearing,
haughty, and unreasonable, without a
single argument from Scripture.
In March of 1521, the emperor called
Luther to the
Diet of Worms to plead his case.
Knowing his life would be in danger,
Luther responded, "I place the
matter in the Lord's hands. If He
will not save me, my life is of
little consequence. Let us only
prevent the Gospel from being
exposed to the scorn of the wicked,
and let us shed our blood for it,
for fear they should triumph. It is
not for me to decide whether my life
or my death will contribute most to
the salvation of all. You may expect
everything from me except flight and
recantation." A month later at the
Diet of Worms, Charles V asked
Luther to recant his heretical
doctrines. He responded, "I cannot
submit my faith either to the Pope
or to the Councils, because it is
clear as day, they have frequently
erred and contradicted each other.
Unless therefore, I am convinced by
the testimony of Scripture...I
cannot and will not retract. Here I
stand, I can do no other. So help me
God, Amen."
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