November 4: TIDAL WAVE OF OPPOSITION

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” Matthew 10:34

The Prince of Peace opened His earthly ministry, saying: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Nothing short of repentance toward God and faith in the atoning work of Jesus can save a sinner. The sword that Christ brought to the world is His supernatural work of separating sin from sinners, that they may—by divine grace—begin a new life, step-by-step in a new direction; that is, a heavenly one! Deliverance from the old ways becomes a reality as the confessed sinner yields to the new leadership of the Lord’s Holy Spirit.

Martin Luther saw that the top echelons of human leadership of his beloved Church were making merchandise of God’s grace. Money was being raised for the building of St. Peter’s Church in Rome, and the pope had ordered the sale of “indulgences” across Europe: paying money to escape the judgements of God. Money was flowing like water into Rome.

“By the price of crime a temple was to be built up for God’s worship—the cornerstone laid with the wages of iniquity! But the very means adopted for Rome’s aggrandizement provoked the deadliest blow to her power and greatness. It was this that aroused the most determined and successful of the enemies of popery, and led to the battle which shook the papal throne and jostled the triple crown* upon the pontiff’s head.” THE GREAT CONTROVERSY by EGW (p.127)

There were other men of learning and piety within the church system who silently opposed the doctrine of indulgences. But not a single prelate dared to lift his voice against the pope, as his utterances ex cathedra were proclaimed to be inerrant. Members of Luther’s own congregation had purchased these “certificates of pardon” and were presenting them to him for absolution – not because they were repentant, but on the rationale of the indulgence. Luther’s response was a warning that, apart from repentance and a sincere desire for reformation, they would perish in their sins. Many of the purchasers boldly went back to the seller of the indulgence, a local friar, demanding their money back. Intimidation tactics ensued: fires were lit in the public squares accompanied by declarations of the pope to burn all heretics who presumed to oppose his most holy indulgences.

Martin Luther’s life goal was to lead people to the joy and hope and inner peace of the Prince of Peace. He could see that the sin-loving, superstitious crowds were easy prey for the sophistries purported to soothe their fears. His decision to publicly post the 95 Bible-based challenges was for the purpose of sparking healthy debate. Though motivated by the Spirit of God, the backlash of opposition came at Luther like a tidal wave (see Matthew 10:24-27).

Jesus answered: “My kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36a

*The enormous, jeweled triple crown of the popes is representative of the pope’s presumed authority in heaven, on earth, and in the underworld.