All Things Seen & Unseen

The 31st October is the day that some celebrate as Reformation Day! What is Reformation Day? It's the day that Protestants celebrate Martin Luther's (1483-1546) sending 95 Theses complaining about the selling of 'indulgences' in his parish to the  Archbishop of Mainz and Magdeberg.   Some believe that he nailed the Theses (in Latin) to the door of the church at Wittenberg , October the 31st, at 2 pm 1517 . This action signalled the beginning of a mighty 'protest' across nations against the Papal church's teachings on indulgences and the spiritual supremacy of the Pope as the (Western) Church's leader. What were Indulgences? The Roman clergy were authorised to absolve the guilt of contrite sinners (based on Jn 20.23). But according to Romanist theology, absolution did not mean that the threat of punishment was removed. Therefore, indulgences would be bought as penances for the punishments of sins committed. In Luther's time Johan...

An understanding of the People of God as a priesthood of all believers derives from the New Testament.  In 1 Peter 2.9-10 it says that C 1 hurch is a 'chosen race' (ASV), 'a holy nation, a royal priesthood and a peculiar [a people who are his possession and therefore, a special] people'. 2   In short, the Body 1 of Christ is a 'priesthood of believers' (see also Rev 1.6, 5.10, 20.6).

Most of us know how God used the German monk, Dr Martin Luther (1483-1546), to shake to the core the medieval western (Roman) church in the early decades of the 16th century which led to the Protestant Reformation. We know that his views can summarised by: justification by faith alone in Christ alone. Of course, Luther did believe that the sinner is justified by faith in Christ alone without good works. (Nevertheless, faith in Christ, he said, is never without good works [Eph 2.8-10].) Luther's battle with the Roman church was also evidenced in Rome's doctrines surrounding the virgin Mary, its dead 'saints', clergy, bishops and Pope who could be said to be intercede between the Roman church believer and Christ.  Hence, the Roman church was in a powerful, politico-faith position because to be under its curse -an anathema- was to be dammed to eternal torment. Few kings, emperors or any others of the time were prepared to oppose Rome knowing their eternal dest...