Dare to believe in God’s grace

The reformation was precipitated by Martin Luther (1483-1546) in his struggles to find peace with God.

Many other thinkers and academics were involved in the Reformation movement.

Luther’s work was carried out in the University of Wittenberg.

This was a new university established by Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony.

A statesman, he was aware of the growing demands for national freedom from the universal power of the medieval church.

He recognised that Luther was expressing these sentiments.

A devoted Catholic, he was torn in two directions: “What is my duty as a Christian prince?”he asked.

The Monastic Orders were also undergoing changes.

Luther’s Augustinian Order struggled with some monks wanting to retain the old ways against the younger monks wanting change. This was an age of conflicting ideas.

Andreas Karlstadt, Luther’s superior in the monastery, and Johannes Eck, Luther’s opponent at the Leipzig debate in July 1519, both sincerely believed in their church‘s teachings.

But they would travel in opposite directions.

When Eck challenged Luther at the Leipzig debate, in 1519, he confirmed the established church’s suspicion about the monk from Wittenberg.

On the other hand, by December 1521, Karlstadt was giving both bread and wine to lay people.

In other words, the reformation was not an isolated occurrence with one man, but rather embraced a wider public, with many thinkers sincerely holding opposite points of view.

Luther himself came from a working class family.

Luther’s father Hans was a miner in Mansfeld before acquiring a few copper-smelting plants. As an owner of smelting plants he became a prosperous and prominent citizen.

But this industry was experiencing financial and commercial changes.

The mines became less productive, the smelting industry was in decline. To be a successful mine owner required legal and financial expertise.

So Martin Luther, Han’s oldest child, was destined for a legal career in order to support the family business.

But his legal studies were to change. In the summer of 1505 the young Luther, still tormented by religious doubts, was caught in a thunderstorm.

He saw this storm as a divine message to change his life. So, in July 1505, he entered the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt.

Luther became a good monk and by 1515 was lecturing novice monks on Paul’s letter to‘Romans’. In‘Romans’ he found the teaching that God puts people in a right relation with himself.

At the same time, when he lectured on the Book of Psalms he found the great cry of Christ from the Cross,“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”(Psalm 22.1). This revelation of Christ’s suffering gave Luther an entirely different awareness of Christ.

Christ became not the judge on the throne but the suffering Messiah on the cross.

Luther’s ideas developed and events took their own course.

He was condemned for his teaching at a special hearing called the Diet of Worms (1521)

The reformation movement expanded into many European cities, like John Calvin in Geneva.

But it must be remembered that spiritual renewal was taking place within the church. Many sincere and pious men and women did find spiritual strength and comfort in the monastery and convent.

In 1515, when Luther was lecturing on Romans, St Teresa of Avila (1515-82) was born. In her inspiring life St Teresa established the Carmelite Order with seventeen convents and sixteen places for men, where the spiritual strength and goodness of faith were experienced. In other words, a necessary reform movement was taking place both within and outwith the established church.

We must be encouraged by these 16th century church leaders.

From the example of St Teresa of Avila, this modern society will benefit greatly from discovering the lost spiritual dimension of personal life.

People cannot not live by bread alone. Luther was a troubled man, but had the courage to look for a deeper understanding of his Christian faith. Has this church generation the courage to think through the radical meaning of Christianity for the 21st century?

Let us dare to have the courage of our conviction. Dare to believe: “The righteousness of God has been revealed. The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. We are justified through God’s grace which is in Christ Jesus”(Romans 3. 21-23).