Born November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Germany, Martin Luther began his education in law and liberal arts. Being raised a good Roman Catholic he had a fear of God and death believing that God hated him and that he would have to spend time in purgatory after he died in order to work his way to heaven. Because of his fear of death and fear of God, following a lightening storm incident he vowed to become a monk. He entered the Augustinian order with the thought that if he could isolate himself from the world he could be a better person and earn God’s favor.
As an Augustinian Luther studied and became a priest and later earned his Doctorate Degree. As he continued to study the Bible, he learned that God was a loving and forgiving God whose desire was to love and forgive him.
At this time the Pope was seeking to raise funds to build St. Peter’s Basilica and to do so he issued the decree for the selling of indulgences. An indulgence was a way that for a price one could have their sins paid for. Martin Luther knew that this was not right and so he wrote ninety-five statements for debate and petitioned the Pope to look into this matter. Unfortunately, he did not realize that the Pope was behind this matter.
Two important points came from Luther. One was the understanding that we get our theology, our faith right when we point to Jesus. And the second was his fight for the authority of the Word of God, over against the fallible word of man.
Luther’s desire to reform his church, never to leave it, touched many other aspects of life, including finance, education, government as well as theology. Luther had no desire to leave the church, nor have a church body named after him, which as is usually the case what was done as an insult.
Today we honor Martin Luther for his work of fighting for the authority of the Word of God and for his work of pointing us to Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith, for reminding us that we are saved because Jesus lived, suffered, died and rose for us and because He gives us faith.
41 of 52 © Rev. Dr. Ronald A. Bogs (2018)
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