The Great The Reformation

Today We of Protestant Belief,

Are Celebrating and Will Celebrate The Reformation,

The Day That Changed The World!

On October 31st 1517, Martin Luther wrote to his bishop,

Albert of Mainz, protesting the sale of indulgences.

He enclosed in his letter a copy of his "Disputation of

Efficacy of Indulgences,"

Which came to be known as The Ninety-Five Theses.

PLEASE READ THIS, It is VERY POWERFUL!

Martin Luther and The Protestant Reformation:

In understanding the history of Protestant Church and the

Reformation, it is important to first understand that one of the claims that

the Roman Catholic Church makes is that of apostolic succession. This simply

means that they claim a unique authority over all other churches and

denominations because they claim the line of Roman Catholic Popes back

throughout the centuries, all the way to the Apostle Peter. In their view, this

gives the Roman Catholic Church a unique authority that supersedes all other

denominations or churches. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, this

apostolic succession is only “found in the Catholic Church” and no “separate

Churches have any valid claim to it.”

It is because of this apostolic succession that the Roman Catholic

Church claims a unique authority to interpret Scripture and to establish

doctrine, as well the claim of having a supreme leader in the Pope who is

infallible (without error) when speaking “ex cathedra”—that is, in the exercise

of his office as pastor and teacher of all Christians. Therefore, according to

the Roman Catholic view, the teaching or traditions of the Roman Catholic

Church as they come from the Pope are equally as infallible and authoritative

as the Scriptures themselves. This is one of the major differences between

Roman Catholics and Protestants and was one of the foundational reasons for the

Protestant Reformation.

Of course, the Roman Catholics are not the only ones who try to

claim unique authority through apostolic succession or by tracing the roots of

their church back to the original apostles. The Eastern Orthodox Church also

claims apostolic succession, although their claim is very similar to the Roman

Catholic view. The split between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism did not

occur until the “Great Schism” in A.D. 1054. There are also some Protestant

denominations or groups that will try to establish a “Trail of Blood” that can

be traced back through the centuries to the first century church and the

apostles themselves. While these Protestants do not hold to apostolic

succession in order to establish the authority of a “Pope” as an infallible

leader, they still look to that connection to the early church in at least some

small degree to establish the authority of their doctrines and practices.

The problem with any of these attempts to trace a line of

succession back to the apostles, whether it is Roman Catholic, Eastern

Orthodox, or Protestant, is that they all are attempts to derive or support the

authority of what they believe and teach from the wrong source, that of some

real or perceived connection with the apostles, instead of deriving it from the

Word of God. It is important for Christians to realize that direct apostolic

succession is not necessary in order for a church or denomination to have

authority. God has given and preserved the supreme authority for all matters of

faith and practice in His Holy Word, the Bible. Therefore, an individual

church’s or denomination’s authority today does not come through some tie to the

first century church and the apostles. Instead, it comes only and directly from

the written Word of God. A church or denomination’s teachings are authoritative

and binding on Christians only if they represent the true meaning and clear

teaching of Scripture. This is important in order to understand the connection

between Protestantism and the Roman Catholic Church, and the reason that the

Protestant Reformation took place.

In regards to the history of Christianity and the claims of

apostolic succession, as well as the Roman Catholic Church’s claim of being the

one true Church with unique authority, it is important that to understand a

couple of key points. First, we must realize that even in the days of the

apostles and the first century church, false teachers were a significant

problem. We know this because warnings against heresies and false teachers are

found in all the later New Testament writings. Jesus Himself warned that these

false teachers would be like “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15), and

that there would be both “tares and wheat” that would exist together until the

day of judgment when He separates the saved from the lost, the true “born

again” believer from those that have not truly received Him (Matthew 13:24-30).

This is important in understanding church history, because from almost the very

beginning false teachers and false teachings have been invading the church and

leading people astray. Despite this, there have also been true “born again”

believers who held fast to the biblical doctrine of salvation by grace alone

through faith alone in Christ alone, throughout all ages, even in the darkest

period of the dark ages.

The second thing to realize to correctly understand church history

is that the word catholic simply means “universal.” This is important because

in the early Christian writings of the first and second centuries, when the

term catholic is used, it is referring to the “universal church” or “body of

Christ” that is made up of “born again” believers from every tribe, tongue and

nation (Revelation 5:9; 7:9). However, like many other words over time, the

word catholic began to take on new meaning, or came to be used in a new sense.

Over time, the concept of a “universal” or “catholic” church began to evolve

into the concept that all churches formed together one church, not just

spiritually, but also visibly, extending throughout the world. This

misunderstanding of the nature of the visible church (which always has

contained both “wheat and tares”) and the invisible church (the body of Christ

which is only made up of born again believers) would lead to the concept of a

visible Holy Catholic Church, outside of which there is no salvation. It is out

of this misunderstanding of the nature of the universal church that the Roman

Catholic Church evolved.

Prior to the Constantine’s conversion to Christianity in A.D. 315,

Christians had been persecuted by the Roman government. With his conversion,

Christianity became an allowed religion of the Roman Empire (and later became

the official religion), and thus the “visible” Church became joined with the

power of the Roman government. This marriage of church and state led to the

formation of the Roman Catholic Church, and over time caused the Roman Catholic

Church to refine its doctrine and develop its structure in a way that best

served the purpose of the Roman government. During this time, opposing the

Roman Catholic Church was the same as opposing the Roman government and carried

with it severe penalties. If one disagreed with some doctrine of the Roman

Catholic Church, it was a serious charge that often resulted in excommunication

and sometimes even death.

Yet throughout this time of history, there were true “born again”

Christians who would rise up and oppose the secularization of the Roman

Catholic Church and the perversion of the faith that followed. Through this

church-and-state combination, the Roman Catholic Church effectively silenced

those who opposed any of its doctrines or practices, and truly became almost a

universal church throughout the Roman Empire. There were always pockets of

resistance to some of the unbiblical practices and teachings of the Roman

Catholic Church, yet they were relatively small and isolated. Prior to the

Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century, men such as John Wycliffe in

England, John Huss in Czechoslovakia, and John of Wessel in Germany had all

given their lives for their opposition to some of the unbiblical teachings of

the Roman Catholic Church.

The opposition to the Roman Catholic Church and its false teaching

came to a head in the sixteenth century, when a Roman Catholic monk named

Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses against the teachings of the Roman Catholic

Church on the Castle Church door at Wittenberg, Germany.

Luther’s intention was to bring reform to the Roman Catholic

Church, and in doing so was challenging the authority of the Pope. With the

refusal of the Roman Catholic Church to heed Luther’s call to reformation and

return to biblical doctrines and practices, the Protestant Reformation began.

From this Reformation four major divisions or traditions of Protestantism would

emerge: Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, and Anglican. During this time God

raised up godly men in different countries in order to once again restore

churches throughout the world to their biblical roots and to biblical doctrines

and practices.

Underlying the Protestant Reformation lay four basic doctrines in

which the reformers believed the Roman Catholic Church to be in error. These

four questions or doctrines are How is a person saved? Where does religious

authority lie? What is the church? And what is the essence of Christian living?

In answering these questions, Protestant Reformers such as Martin

Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, and John Knox established what would be

known as the “Five Solas” of the Reformation (sola being the Latin word for

“alone”).

These five points of doctrine were at the heart of the Protestant

Reformation, and it was for these five essential Biblical doctrines that the

Protestant Reformers would take their stand against the Roman Catholic Church,

resisting the demands placed on them to recant, even to the point of death.

These five essential doctrines of the Protestant Reformation are

as follows:

1 “Sola Scriptura,” or Scripture Alone: This affirms the Biblical

doctrine that the Bible alone is the sole authority for all matters of faith

and practice. Scripture and Scripture alone is the standard by which all

teachings and doctrines of the church must be measured. As Martin Luther so

eloquently stated when asked to recant on his teachings, "Unless I am

convinced by Scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of the

popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is

captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go

against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen."

2 “Sola Gratia,” Salvation by Grace Alone: This affirms the

Biblical doctrine that salvation is by God’s grace alone and that we are

rescued from His wrath by His grace alone. God’s grace in Christ is not merely

necessary, but is the sole efficient cause of salvation. This grace is the

supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us

from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life.

3“Sola Fide,” Salvation by Faith Alone: This affirms the Biblical

doctrine that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of

Christ alone. It is by faith in Christ that His righteousness is imputed to us

as the only possible satisfaction of God’s perfect justice.

4 “Solus Christus,” In Christ Alone: This affirms the Biblical

doctrine that salvation is found in Christ alone and that His sinless life and

substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and

reconciliation to God the Father. The gospel has not been preached if Christ’s

substitutionary work is not declared, and if faith in Christ and His work is

not solicited.

5 “Soli Deo Gloria, For the Glory of God Alone: This affirms the

Biblical doctrine that salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God for

His glory alone. It affirms that as Christians we must glorify Him always, and

must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God,

and for His glory alone.

These five important and fundamental doctrines are the reason for

the Protestant Reformation.

They are at the heart of where the Roman Catholic Church went

wrong in its doctrine, and why the Protestant Reformation was necessary to

return churches throughout the world to correct doctrine and biblical teaching.

They are just as important today in evaluating a church and its

teachings as they were then. In many ways, much of Protestant Christianity

needs to be challenged to return to these fundamental doctrines of the faith,

much like the reformers challenged the Roman Catholic Church to do in the

sixteenth century.

Below is The List of The 95 Theses of Martin Luther:

Posted on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany,

October 31, 1517

The 95 Theses of Martin Luther:

Posted on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany,

October 31, 1517

Out of love for the truth and from desire to elucidate it,

The Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and ordinary lecturer therein at Wittenberg, intends to defend the following statements and to dispute on them in that place.

Therefore he asks that those who cannot be present and dispute with him orally shall do so in their absence by letter. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, in saying, "Repent ye, etc.," intended that the whole life of his believers on earth should be a constant penance.

2. And the word "penance" neither can, nor may, be understood as referring to the Sacrament of Penance, that is, to confession and atonement as exercised under the priest's ministry.

3. Nevertheless He does not think of inward penance only: rather is inward penance worthless unless it produces various outward mortifications of the flesh.

4. Therefore mortification continues as long as hatred of oneself continues, that is to say, true inward penance lasts until entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.

5. The Pope will not, and cannot, remit other punishments than those which he has imposed by his own decree or according to the canons.

6. The Pope can forgive sins only in the sense, that he declares and confirms what may be forgiven of God; or that he doth it in those cases which he hath reserved to himself; be this contemned, the sin remains unremitted.

7. God forgives none his sin without at the same time casting him penitent and humbled before the priest His vicar.

8. The canons concerning penance are imposed only on the living; they ought not by any means, following the same canons, to be imposed on the dying.

9. Therefore, the Holy Spirit, acting in the Pope, does well for us, when the latter in his decrees entirely removes the article of death and extreme necessity.

10. Those priests act unreasonably and ill who reserve for Purgatory the penance imposed on the dying.

11. This abuse of changing canonical penalty into the penalty of Purgatory seems to have arisen when the bishops were asleep.

12. In times of yore, canonical penalties were imposed, not after, but before, absolution, as tests of true repentance and affliction.

13. The dying pay all penalties by their death, are already dead to the canons, and rightly have exemption from them.

14. Imperfect spiritual health or love in the dying person necessarily brings with it great fear; and the less this love is, the greater the fear it brings.

15. This fear and horror - to say nothing of other things - are sufficient in themselves to produce the punishment of Purgatory, because they approximate to the horror of despair.

16. Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven seem to differ as perfect despair, imperfect despair, and security of salvation differ.

17. It seems as must in Purgatory love in the souls increase, as fear diminishes in them.

18. It does not seem to be proved either by arguments or by the Holy Writ that they are outside the state of merit and demerit, or increase of love.

19. This, too, seems not to be proved, that they are all sure and confident of their salvation, though we may be quite sure of it.

20. Therefore the Pope, in speaking of the perfect remission of all punishments, does not mean that all penalties in general be forgiven, but only those imposed by himself.

21. Therefore, those preachers of indulgences err who say that, by the Pope's indulgence, a man may be exempt from all punishments, and be saved.

22. Yea, the Pope remits the souls in Purgatory no penalty which they, according to the canons, would have had to pay in this life.

23. If to anybody complete remission of all penalties may be granted, it is certain that it is granted only to those most approaching perfection, that is, to very few.

24. Therefore the multitude is misled by the boastful promise of the paid penalty, whereby no manner of distinction is made.

25. The same power that the Pope has over Purgatory, such has also every bishop in his diocese, and every curate in his parish.

26. The Pope acts most rightly in granting remission to souls, not by the power of the keys - which in Purgatory he does not possess - but by way of intercession.

27. They preach vanity who say that the soul flies out of Purgatory as soon as the money thrown into the chest rattles.

28. What is sure, is, that as soon as the penny rattles in the chest, gain and avarice are on the way of increase; but the intercession of the church depends only on the will of God Himself.

29. And who knows, too, whether all those souls in Purgatory wish to be redeemed, as it is said to have happened with St. Severinus and St. Paschalis.

30. Nobody is sure of having repented sincerely enough; much less can he be sure of having received perfect remission of sins.

31. Seldom even as he who has sincere repentance, is he who really gains indulgence; that is to say, most seldom to be found.

32. On the way to eternal damnation are they and their teachers, who believe that they are sure of their salvation through indulgences.

33. Beware well of those who say, the Pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to God.

34. For the forgiveness contained in these pardons has reference only to the penalties of sacramental atonement which were appointed by men.

35. He preaches like a heathen who teaches that those who will deliver souls out of Purgatory or buy indulgences do not need repentance and contrition.

36. Every Christian who feels sincere repentance and woe on account of his sins, has perfect remission of pain and guilt even without letters of indulgence.

37. Every true Christian, be he still alive or already dead, partaketh in all benefits of Christ and of the Church given him by God, even without letters of indulgence.

38. Yet is the Pope's absolution and dispensation by no means to be contemned, since it is, as I have said, a declaration of the Divine Absolution.

39. It is exceedingly difficult, even for the most subtle theologists, to praise at the same time before the people the great wealth of indulgence and the truth of utter contrition.

40. True repentance and contrition seek and love punishment; while rich indulgence absolves from it, and causes men to hate it, or at least gives them occasion to do so.

41. The Pope's indulgence ought to be proclaimed with all precaution, lest the people should mistakenly believe it of more value than all other works of charity.

42. Christians should be taught, it is not the Pope's opinion that the buying of indulgence is in any way comparable to works of charity.

43. Christians should be taught, he who gives to the poor, or lends to a needy man, does better than buying indulgence.

44. For, by the exercise of charity, charity increases and man grows better, while by means of indulgence, he does not become better, but only freer from punishment.

45. Christians should be taught, he who sees his neighbor in distress, and, nevertheless, buys indulgence, is not partaking in the Pope's pardons, but in the anger of God.

46. Christians should be taught, unless they are rich enough, it is their duty to keep what is necessary for the use of their households, and by no means to throw it away on indulgences.

47. Christians should be taught, the buying of indulgences is optional and not commanded.

48. Christians should be taught, the Pope, in selling pardons, has more want and more desire of a devout prayer for himself than of the money.

49. Christians should be taught, the Pope's pardons are useful as far as one does not put confidence in them, but on the contrary most dangerous, if through them one loses the fear of God.

50. Christians should be taught, if the Pope knew the ways and doings of the preachers of indulgences, he would prefer that St. Peter's Minster should be burnt to ashes, rather than that it should be built up of the skin, flesh, and bones of his lambs.

51. Christians should be taught, the Pope, as it is his bounden duty to do, is indeed also willing to give of his own money - and should St. Peter's be sold thereto - to those from whom the preachers of indulgences do most extort money.

52. It is a vain and false thing to hope to be saved through indulgences, though the commissary - nay, the Pope himself - was to pledge his own soul therefore.

53. Those who, on account of a sermon concerning indulgences in one church, condemn the word of God to silence in the others, are enemies of Christ and of the Pope.

54. Wrong is done to the word of God if one in the same sermon spends as much or more time on indulgences as on the word of the Gospel.

55. The opinion of the Pope cannot be otherwise than this:- If an indulgence - which is the lowest thing - be celebrated with one bell, one procession and ceremonies, then the Gospel - which is the highest thing - must be celebrated with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, and a hundred ceremonies.

56. The treasures of the Church, whence the Pope grants his dispensation are neither sufficiently named nor known among the community of Christ.

57. It is manifest that they are not temporal treasures, for the latter are not lightly spent, but rather gathered by many of the preachers.

58. Nor are they the merits of Christ and of the saints, for these, without the Pope's aid, work always grace to the inner man, cross, death, and hell to the other man.

59. St. Lawrence called the poor of the community the treasures of the community and of the Church, but he understood the word according to the use in his time.

60. We affirm without pertness that the keys of the Church, bestowed through the merit of Christ, are this treasure.

61. For it is clear that the Pope's power is sufficient for the remission of penalties and forgiveness in the reserved cases.

62. The right and true treasure of the Church is the most Holy Gospel of the glory and grace of God.

63. This treasure, however, is deservedly most hateful, for it makes the first to be last.

64. While the treasure of indulgence is deservedly most agreeable, for it makes the last to be first.

65. Therefore, the treasures of the Gospel are nets, with which, in times of yore, one fished for the men of Mammon.

66. But the treasures of indulgence are nets, with which now-a-days one fishes for the Mammon of men.

67. Those indulgences, which the preachers proclaim to be great mercies, are indeed great mercies, forasmuch as they promote gain.

68. And yet they are of the smallest compared to the grace of God and to the devotion of the Cross.

69. Bishops and curates ought to mark with eyes and ears, that the commissaries of apostolical (that is, Popish) pardons are received with all reverence.

70. But they ought still more to mark with eyes and ears, that these commissaries do not preach their own fancies instead of what the Pope has commanded.

71. He who speaks against the truth of apostolical pardons, be anathema and cursed.

72. But blessed be he who is on his guard against the preacher's of pardons naughty and impudent words.

73. As the Pope justly disgraces and excommunicates those who use any kind of contrivance to do damage to the traffic in indulgences.

74. Much more it is his intention to disgrace and excommunicate those who, under the pretext of indulgences, use contrivance to do damage to holy love and truth.

75. To think that the Popish pardons have power to absolve a man even if - to utter an impossibility - he had violated the Mother of God, is madness.

76. We assert on the contrary that the Popish pardon cannot take away the least of daily sins, as regards the guilt of it.

77. To say that St. Peter, if he were now Pope, could show no greater mercies, is blasphemy against St. Peter and the Pope.

78. We assert on the contrary that both this and every other Pope has greater mercies to show: namely, the Gospel, spiritual powers, gifts of healing, etc. (1.Cor.XII).

79. He who says that the cross with the Pope's arms, solemnly set on high, has as much power as the Cross of Christ, blasphemes God.

80. Those bishops, curates, and theologists, who allow such speeches to be uttered among the people, will have one day to answer for it.

81. Such impudent sermons concerning indulgences make it difficult even for learned men to protect the Pope's honor and dignity against the calumnies, or at all events against the searching questions, of the laymen.

82. As for instance: - Why does not the Pope deliver all souls at the same time out of Purgatory for the sake of most holy love and on account of the bitterest distress of those souls - this being the most imperative of all motives, - while he saves an infinite number of souls for the sake of that most miserable thing money, to be spent on St. Peter's Minster: - this being the very slightest of motives?

83. Or again: - Why do masses for the dead continue, and why does not the Pope return or permit to be withdrawn the funds which were established for the sake of the dead, since it is now wrong to pray for those who are already saved?

84. Again: - What is this new holiness of God and the Pope that, for money's sake, they permit the wicked and the enemy of God to save a pious soul, faithful to God, and yet will not save that pious and beloved soul without payment, out of love, and on account of its great distress?

85. Again: - Why is it that the canons of penance, long abrogated and dead in themselves, because they are not used, are yet still paid for with money through the granting of pardons, as if they were still in force and alive?

86. Again: - Why does not the Pope build St. Peter's Minster with his own money - since his riches are now more ample than those of Crassus, - rather than with the money of poor Christians?

87. Again: -Why does the Pope remit or give to those who, through perfect penitence, have already a right to plenary remission and pardon?

88. Again: - What greater good could the Church receive, than if the Pope presented this remission and pardon a hundred times a day to every believer, instead of but once, as he does now?

89. If the Pope seeks by his pardon the salvation of souls, rather than money, why does he annul letters of indulgence granted long ago, and declare them out of force, though they are still in force?

90. To repress these very telling questions of the laymen by force, and not to solve them by telling the truth, is to expose the Church and the Pope to the enemy's ridicule and to make Christian people unhappy.

91. Therefore, if pardons were preached according to the Pope's intention and opinion, all these objections would be easily answered, nay, they never had occurred.

92. Away then with all those prophets who say to the community of Christ, "Peace, peace", and there is no peace.

93. But blessed be all those prophets who say to the community of Christ, "The cross, the cross," and there is no cross.

94. Christians should be exhorted to endeavor to follow Christ their Head through Cross, Death, and Hell,

95. And thus hope with confidence to enter Heaven through many miseries, rather than in false security.