Going to Jesus

Daily Thoughts

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  09-01 Only Seven 09-02 “In Remembrance Of Me” 09-03 Being Free 09-04 The Perfect Law Of Liberty 09-05 The Goal Of A Thief 09-06 The Rod Of Iron 09-07 The Root Of All Goodness 09-08 Salt 09-09 Godliness With Contentment 09-10 The Day Of Death 09-11 Alone With God 09-12 The Desolate Woman And The Wife 09-13 Feeding The Flock 09-14 The Goodness Of The Death Penalty 09-15 Robbery 09-16 Seven Humble Comments And Seven Arrogant Questions, Part One 09-17 Seven Humble Comments And Seven Arrogant Questions, Part Two 09-18 Seven Humble Comments And Seven Arrogant Questions, Part Three 09-19 Seven Humble Comments And Seven Arrogant Questions, Part Four 09-20 Seven Humble Comments And Seven Arrogant Questions, Part Five 09-21 Seven Humble Comments And Seven Arrogant Questions, Part Six 09-22 Seven Humble Comments And Seven Arrogant Questions, Part Seven 09-23 Listening 09-24 Martin Luther 09-25 Taking And Giving Credit 09-26 Attitude Of A Servant 09-27 Good Meals 09-28 Purified, Part One 09-29 Purified, Part Two 09-30 Purified, Part Three

 

Thought for the Evening
9-24

MARTIN LUTHER

An inquiry from the internet

Dear John,

Have you read the teachings of Martin Luther and do you believe his teachings to be the truth?

Thanks,

Mr. Jones

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Hi Mr. Jones:

Thanks for writing.

I have read several of the things Martin Luther is said to have written, in addition to studying the history of his time and a couple of his biographies, but it has been some years ago since I have done so. He certainly saw the foolishness of some of the absurd rituals and gross covetousness of the Catholic clergy of his day. Of course, he did not intend to leave the Catholic religion in the beginning; he merely desired that his Catholic superiors should reform and renounce some of their worst errors.

In summary of his teachings against Catholic Christianity, Martin Luther purportedly made a famous statement at one of his trials to the effect that salvation is accomplished “by faith alone”. I suppose this is the fundamental basis of Martin Luther’s theology, and I do not believe that is true, at least as it is understood and taught today by Christians. It certainly is not Biblical (see James 2:24).

If you have heard my teaching series on “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”, then you understand why it is wrong to think that salvation is “by faith alone” (or by anything else “alone”). Salvation is not even by Jesus “alone”, because that leaves out the Father, which makes a person “antichrist” (1Jn. 2:22).

If you had any other particular issue in mind concerning Martin Luther please feel free to ask me.

Yours,

Pastor John