I am reflecting this morning, in my quiet time with Jesus, about the life of Martin Luther, the German reformer.
I think it is interesting that the Lord led me to do this TODAY on “Martin Luther King Jr day” who was named by his father who also changed his name to Martin Luther from the influence this German reformer had on him when he visited Germany in the 1900s.
I just finished this book yesterday….all 446 pages.
I could relate to Martin Luther on most pages of this book.
I think God wired us very similarly.
Melanchthon, Luther’s sidekick in the Reformation, said of Luther at his funeral:
Luther brought to light the true and necessary doctrine….
Some have complained that Luther displayed too much severity. I will not deny this. But I answer in the language of Erasmus: “Because of the magnitude of the disorders, God gave this age a violent physician.”
..if he was severe, it was severity for the zeal of the truth…
I def don’t agree with Martin Luther’s anti-Semitic views that he had at one point nor do I agree with infant baptism, as there is no where in Scripture that supports this.
And there were several other things that came up in the book that I probably wouldn’t have agreed with him on, but the main thing he stood for “Grace by faith in Jesus”….I would run all day with him in that stance.
I can still learn from Martin and deeply admire what God used him for. I can’t throw the baby out with the bath water. In a deeply ingrained “cancel culture” world we are in…one person says one things we don’t agree with and they get cut out. Eventually, we will have to cut everyone out of our lives, because no one is perfect.
Not to say we shouldn’t warn of false teachings/teachers….anyone who knows me didn’t need that clarified. Luther said “False preachers are worse than deflowerers of virgins.” I concur.
Martin Luther proved that no one is perfect, as does every human that ever lived. We don’t get it 100 and I hope we can still learn from each other.
However, the thing I deeply admire about Martin Luther and my overarching takeaway from the book was he wouldn’t recant for what he knew was the truth.
“You are not only responsible for what you say but also for what you do not say.” ~Martin Luther
He stood firm against all the known authority for what mattered. Otherwise, he deeply respected authority but when it came to the gospel, he wasn’t trying to win friends but instead influence people.
Their money and reputation were involved in the leaders NOT turning to the truth Martin Luther was bringing. You can imagine the backlash. When idols get threatened, people will try to get you outta there or killed.
People called for unity and he called for truth. I believe Martin knew that true unity would be on truth and not some watered down version of it.
Some of my gleanings from Martin’s life are this:
1. He would not recant what he knew to be true.
2. He was willing to die for the gospel.
3. He studied the Word.
4. He translated the Word into German so others could actually read it. He knew ignorance wasn’t bliss.
5. He respected authority, but knew when to come against their false teachings or ways. He knew he was ultimately “under heaven” and submitted to Him.
6. His wife, who brought him much joy, was a huge blessing to him….he got married ~42 years old.
7. He was a writer.
8. He preached until he died.
9. He bore the weight emotionally with so much opposition.
10. He wrote his 95 Theses on the same day I was saved. October 31st.
11. He had mentors and deep friendships that he rolled with.
12. He had a pastor’s heart and really cared for the souls of the sheep he was entrusted with. He risked his life so they would know truth.
13. He could back what he believed with Scriptures.
Here are some quotes from Luther I resonate with in my life:
I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.
I am more afraid of my own heart than of the pope and all his cardinals. I have within me the great pope, Self.
The Gospel cannot be truly preached without offense and tumult.
If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.
I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth.
Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved.
God does not need your good works, but your neighbor does.
The truth of the matter is rather as Christ says, “He who is not with me is against me.” … He does not say “He who is not with me is not against me either, but merely neutral.”
The moment that made my overarching takeaway from the book (to not recant what he knew to be true) was when Martin was brought before the leaders. They asked if he wrote the books they had of his and if he would recant from what he said. They wanted yes or no answers.
Luther responded, concerning the books, “The books are all mine and I have written more.” The next day, instead of a yes or no answer, he delivered a speech about 10-15 minutes long explaining how he won’t recant.
He rejoiced with some friends afterwards that he didn’t compromise.
My kinda man.
Men/women are out there like that. Just few and far between. The fear of man and the love of money make people compromise. They care more for lining their pockets and for their reputation than for the truth.
They tried to get Luther to be silent, but the wild fire had already started and it was untamed and could not be contained.
Thank you Luther….you fanned my flame. I needed it in this hour. The Lord used your life, 500 years later, to breathe onto the fire He started in me that same day you posted your theses.
So today, on Martin Luther King Jr day, no wonder MLK Jr carried the ways of his namesake in saying “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
TT will also refuse to be silent about things that matter.
