November 2: FROM FAITH TO FAITH (part 3)

Now the just shall live by faith, But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. Hebrews 10:38

Martin Luther humbly pursued his study of the Scriptures at the monastery in Erfurt. As he daily ingested the words of life with never-diminishing eagerness, his character and faith grew in Christlikeness. In looking back upon his austere upbringing, gratitude for his parents increased. Though their firmness at times had been exercised with too great a severity, any error on their part was soundly overridden by the personal discipline they had instilled in their son. Luther’s peers readily recognized not only his love for and knowledge of the Scriptures, but also his winsome communication style. Such a gift and competence gained the attention of his superiors as well. He was ordained as a priest and called from the monastery to a professorship at Wittenberg. His lectures on the Bible attracted crowds of delighted listeners. Friends and listeners began urging him to ascend the pulpit and preach. Feeling unworthy, he resisted – but the grace of God rested heavily upon him. Upon giving in, the eloquence and clarity of his preaching captivated the congregation. With power, he presented truth that was well-understood, his earnest fervor touching many hearts.

The Catholic Church was “the only show in town”, and Luther had no thought that he would ever be anything but Catholic. But the providence of God led him to visit Rome. The journey was made on foot, and he lodged at monasteries along the way. A convent within the border of Italy proved a shock to his senses. The magnificent appointments of wealth were matched by the costliness of the robes afforded by the monks. Endowed with a princely revenue, they dwelt in apartments draped in all manner of luxury and splendor. They feasted sumptuously throughout each day. Luther could not help but contrast this scene with the daily hardship and sparseness of his own life. Upon finally reaching Rome, the scene was even worse; he was astonished and horrified by what he saw and heard. In disbelief, he continued to mingle with the monks, priests, prelates, and citizenry. Hoping to find anything redemptive, he found only rampant iniquity among all classes of the clergy: debauchery, profanity (even during mass), filthy joking, gluttony, drunkenness. The pope had recently declared an indulgence for all who would ascend upon their knees the staircase in Rome known as the “Pontius Pilate Stairs” or Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs). As Martin Luther was slowly crawling up, six powerful words—“the just shall live by faith”—came directly into the forefront of his thoughts. In an instant, he saw a sharp contrast between trusting fallacious human ideas versus trusting in the merits of Christ for salvation. He sprang to his feet and returned to Germany with opened spiritual eyes that would never again be closed. Hear these amazing words of Jesus to Paul (formerly Saul):

“But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” Acts 26:16-18