Who Was Martin Luther?
Looking back at Martin Luther and the Reformation from where we are today is a little like looking through a telescope. What you see depends on which end you look into. The miles and centuries between us may push people and places in history still farther into the distance. Or, by a reverse perspective, they may be enlarged to look like giants. Martin Luther was this kind of man, this kind of giant. His influence is still felt in the twentieth century church world. We really ought to know who he was and what he did.
Luther was born to poor peasants in Eisleben, Germany, on November 10, 1483. His parents taught him to pray to the saints, to do good works, and revere the Pope and the church. His education included the study of law and theology. By 1512 he was professor of Biblical theology at Wittenberg University, a position he held for the rest of his life.
Through his studies and access to the Bible, he began to search the Scriptures and soon learned that salivation is NOT earned by works but it is a divine gift from God. This lead to his taking a stand against the church's practice of indulgences, followed by his posting of the 95 theses on the on the church door at Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517.
The three basic ideas of the 95 theses were:1. Protest against the abuse of papal authority.
2. Challenge to the Pope: if he controls purgatory, why not empty it for free?
3. Denial of the "extra merit" theory behind indulgences. The "true treasury" of the Church is the Gospel - the proclamation of God's mercy.Public reaction to the 95 theses was that many Germans secretly agreed with Luther and greeted his ideas enthusiastically.
We also have Dr. Martin Luther to thank for reducing the number of Sacraments from seven to two - Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Only these two Sacraments, he wrote, had visible signs of outward grace and were instituted by Christ Himself. Luther also gave us the German mass which allowed the laity as well as the clergy to participate in the liturgy and partake of the wine as well as the bread... a communion with fellow believers. He was an accomplished musician and singer and wrote both the words and music to many hymns which are still sung today.
Luther's influence extends into other areas. His German translation of the Bible helped more than any other source to form the modern German language, and placed the Bible into the hands of the common man. His powerful hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" is the battle hymn of the Reformation. His Small Catechism was designed to bring Lutheran Christianity to a population largely ignorant of even the basics of Christianity. A prolific writer, his goal was that people could understand the Bible and that pastors learned to preach from the Bible.
Because of his strong convictions, Dr. Martin Luther was a leader in the history of Christianity and the world. He symbolized the split within western Christianity between Protestants and the Roman Catholic world. This affected the political and cultural development of Europe and North and South America. He is remembered as the source of some of the most important ideas in Christianity.
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone):
The Bible is the only source that shows God's will and the only basis for faith.
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone):
God loves the world, though we do not deserve His love.
He sent His Son to love the unlovely and save the ungodly.
Sola Fide (Faith Alone):
Jesus has provided for our forgiveness and life;
those who hear this promise and believe it have what it offers. People do not "get" faith; God gives it as He gives us His promises.
