Friday, October 31, 2008

31 October 1517

October 31, 1517 – Wittenberg

Luther was very conscious of his position and responsibilities as a Doctor of Theology, a university professor and, hence, a theological guardian of the church. So, especially in the light of his newly developing theology, he felt under compulsion to protest. Sensing he was treading on dangerous ground, and after some anxious hesitation, he wrote another set of theses – 95 this time – which he called a Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences. On 31 October 1517, he sent these along with a rather timid and respectful letter to Albrecht of Brandenburg himself. On the same day, he wrote along similar lines to his own local bishop, Jerome Schulze in Brandenburg, alerting him to Tetzel’s appearance in his diocese. In a later version of the story, told by his subsequent friend and close colleague, Philipp Melanchthon, Luther also raised the issue for academic debate within the university and beyond, by pinning the theses to the door of the castle or university church in Wittenberg, which served as an academic noticeboard.

Tomlin, Graham. Luther and His World. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2002. The quote is from page 71.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Luther and the 2008 Election

In another blog I have written articles on my concerns about this year’s presidential election. I am concerned for my country and especially for the country in which my grandchildren will live. If you read my articles you will quickly see that my concerns are much, much greater if Senator Obama is elected President. I fear greatly for this nation if he wins.

Yet, my hope for the future of this nation does NOT reside in a President McCain administration any more than it does in an Obama one. In either case, the train (our nation) is out of control, racing down the tracks. If McCain wins, I believe some brakes will be applied. If Obama wins, its full steam ahead!

No matter who wins the election, our country will not suddenly become Christian or even godly. No matter who our next President is, the serious problems we face will not go away. The root of our country’s problems is spiritual and requires a spiritual solution. Government is not going to provide that. To put our hope for our nation’s recovery in the hands of either Senator Obama or Senator McCain is a mistake, in fact, it’s sinful.

The Bible is clear on this. Our hope does not rest in the hands of men or government. Psalm 146:3 says “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.” The only savior of our nation is the Lord Himself.

Luther appealed to this verse on more than one occasion. In the old 1953 film “Martin Luther”, there is a scene during the Diet of Augsburg where Luther wishes he could be there (he was an outlaw in the eyes of church and state) and is complaining to his wife, Katie, about it. She assures him the German princes will do what is right. He retorts, “Do we put our hope in princes?”

While it is unlikely this scene actually occurred, Luther did not have his hope in the government officials of the day and neither should we. For example, Luther wrote a letter (note the date!) to his old friend, Georg Spalatin, who served as the personal secretary and chaplain of Elector Frederick (the government official). Here is a portion of what Luther said.

November 4, 1520

Salvation! I wonder how it is, my dear Spalatin, that you do not get my letters, for I have written twice and got no answer. I am glad you now see that the Germans’ hopes are in vain, and that you are learning not to trust in princes, and are disregarding the world’s judgment whether it praises or condemns my cause. If the gospel could be promoted or maintained by worldly powers God would not have committed it to fishermen.

No, my dear Spalatin, it is not the work of the princes and high priests of this world to protect the Word of God—therefore I crave no one’s protection, for they would rather require to help one another against the Lord and His Christ.

Let us do our duty and “render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s” by voting intelligently in this election. But let us keep our hopes for the future firmly rooted in Christ. May we seek His guidance and ask Him to bring about a revival in the land which will result in saved sinners and a restored nation!

Friday, October 3, 2008

Beddome Using Luther: The Seed of the Serpent

As I have shared elsewhere, Benjamin Beddome is one of my favorite Particular Baptists from the 18th century. Beddome (1717-1795) served as pastor of Bourton-on-the-Water for over 50 years as well as wrote several hymns. Recently I purchased a volume containing outline notes he used for several sermons he preached during his ministry.

Since I also admire Martin Luther, I was quite interested in a portion of a Beddome sermon entitled “Sin Offensive Both to God and Men” in which he references Luther, albeit briefly. His text is 1 Thessalonians 2:15 which reads:

Who have killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us: and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

Beddome divides his message into two major points: those who please not God and those who are contrary to all men. Under the latter point, he writes:

Now this character more especially belongs, 1. To the bigoted and superstitious. … 2. To the churlish, fretful, uncharitable; … 3. To the fraudulent and oppressive, the disturbers of the peace, and invaders of the rights of mankind. …

Beddome then concludes his message by addressing the fourth class of men addressed by this text.

4. The context leads me to apply this particularly to persecutors, who “killed the Lord Jesus,” says the apostle, “and their own prophets, and have persecuted us.” The seed of the serpent will still retain its enmity to the seed of the woman, and Cain, as Luther expresses it, will kill Abel to the end of the world. It is the glory of the gospel to turn the lion into a lamb; but where the light of the gospel is not come, nor the power of it felt, the average disposition of the lion still remains.

I am not certain where in Luther Beddome found this reference but I do find it intriguing. “Cain … will kill Abel to the end of the world.” What an awesome illustration concerning sin and the depravity of unregenerate man.