Fall 2017 - Winter 2018 Semester Luther TheReformation fileB GRACE BIBLE COLLEGE Luther & The Reformation FALL 2017- WINTER 2018 SEMESTER LESSON 2017 FALL QUARTER - 5 LESSONS PAGE

Fall 2017 - Winter 2018 Semester

Grace Bible College

Ten 23-Minute Video Lessons By Dr. R. C. Sproul

Notes & Discussion By Pastor Stephen Hildebrandt

ReformationThe

Luther &

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G R A C E B I B L E C O L L E G E

Luther & The ReformationF A L L 2 0 1 7 - W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 S E M E S T E R

LESSON 2017 FALL QUARTER - 5 LESSONS PAGE

1 Sep 30 From Luther to the Lightening Bolt 1

2 Oct 14 Monastery & Rome Crises 7

3 Oct 21 Tower Experience 13

4 Oct 28 Building St. Peters 17

5 Nov 11 Indulgence Controversy 21

LESSON 2018 WINTER QUARTER - 5 LESSONS PAGE

6 Jan 27 Progress to Wörms 25

7 Feb 10 Catholic View of Justification, Part 1 31

8 Feb 24 Catholic View of Justification, Part 2 35

9 Mar 3 Protestant View of Justification 39

10 Mar 10 Rome’s Objections Answered 43

ReformationThe

Luther &


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Lesson 1 From Luther to the Lightening Bolt!

Lesson 1. From Luther To The Lightening Bolt

The Reformation Wall At Geneva University.

A. In Geneva, Switzerland at Geneva University, which was founded by John Calvin in 1559.

B. Completed in 1909, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Calvin's birth and the 350th anniversary of Geneva University's establishment.

C. [Figure 1]. Geneva University (est. 1559), above the 15 ft. x 300 ft. Reformation Wall (1909). The four main statues, left to right:

• William Farel (1489–1565). French evangelist and founder of the Reformed Church in Switzerland.

• John Calvin (1509–1564). French theologian, pastor and reformer during the Protestant Reformation.

• Theodore Beza (1519–1605) - French theologian and disciple of Calvin and and his successor in Geneva.

• John Knox (1513–1572) - Scottish theologian who studied under Calvin after being declared an outlaw in England by Catholic Queen “Bloody” Mary.

D. Engraven into the Reformation Wall is the phrase:

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Post Tenebras Lux

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Figure 1.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_people

From Luther to the Lightening Bolt Lesson 1!

Summary Of The Life of Martin Luther (1483-1546).

Age 1483 - Birth & Parents. Born November 10 in Eis-leben, Saxony (Modern-day Germany) to Hans and Magarette Luder. He was baptized the next day, on the feast of St. Martin, after whom he was named.

17 1501 - Early Education. Martin Luther entered the University of Erfurt and received his Bachelor's degree after just one year. Three years later, in 1505, Luther received a Master's degree. According to his father's wishes, Martin enrolled in the law school of that university.

22 - The Lightning Bolt. [See Page 3].

24 1507 - Ordination. Luther was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest two years after entering the monastery.

27 - Trip to Rome [Lesson 2]. Luther walked toRome (~ 825 miles), but was shocked by immorality and corruption among the Catholic clergy.

29 1512 - Doctorate. On Oct, 19, Luther received a Doctor of Theology degree from the University of Wittenberg.

32 - Tower Experience [Lesson 3]. Luther's conversion and breakthrough came through studying Romans 1:17, the “righteous shall live by faith”.

34 1517 - Ninety-Five Theses [Lessons 4 & 5]. On October 31, Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg Chapel, protesting the sale of indulgences.

38 1521 - Diet of Wörms [Lesson 6]. At the Diet of Wörms Luther was ordered to recant of his teachings. He replied, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything”

42 1525 - Wife & Children. Luther married former nun Katharina Bora, and has six children: Hans, Elizabeth, Magdalena, Martin, Paul, Margarette.

46 1529 - Publications. Luther published his Large Catechism, and two hymns, “Away in a Manger” and “A Mighty Fortress”.

63 1546 - Death & Burial. Luther died and was buried at the Castle Church in Lutherstadt Wittenberg.

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Lesson 1 From Luther to the Lightening Bolt!

The Lightening Bolt That Changed The World.A. Law School. On May 19, 1505, following his father’s

wishes, Luther begins law school at the University of Erfurt. Luther’s father, Hans, had risen from the peasant class and gained wealth in the copper mining industry. Hans wanted Martin to pursue the wealth and prestige associated with a career in law.

B. Thunderstorm. On July 2, 1505, Luther was returning to the University of Erfurt after a trip home. Caught in a thunderstorm, a lightning bolt struck near him, and Luther cried out, “Help me, Saint Anne! I will become a monk!” [Figure 2] .

C. Monastery. On July 17, 1505, Luther left law school, sold his books, and entered St. Augustine's Monastery in Erfurt [Figure 3]. When He presented himself at the door of the monastery, he was asked, “What do you seek?” Luther answered, “God’s grace and your mercy”. His father, Hans, was furious over what he saw as a waste of Luther's education.

D. Ordination. On April 3,1507, at the age of 24, Luther was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest, in Erfurt's Cathedral. In his ordination, Luther lay down on the floor before the altar, with his arms extended out, making his body into the shape of a cross. Entombed in the floor directly beneath him lay the bishop Johannes Zachariae [Figure 4], who had played an important role in condemning the reformer John Huss to death a century earlier in 1415.

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Figure 4.

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Figure 2.

Saint Anne. According to Roman Catholic mythology (Gospel of James, 150 AD), Saint Anne [Figure 2] was the mother of Mary, and the patron saint of miners. Martin Luther ’s father owned a copper mine, so St. Anne held a prominent place in Luther’s prayers.

Augustinian monastery in Erfurt, Germany, Where Martin Luther lived from 1505-1509.

Built in the 13th century.

Figure 3.

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From Luther to the Lightening Bolt Lesson 1!

Dawn Of The Reformation, Wycliffe & Huss. A. John Wycliffe (1320-1384). English reformer and

Biblical translator who greatly influenced John Huss. The Council of Constance (1414-1418), Session 8, posthumously declared Wycliffe a heretic on May 4, 1415, banned his writings, and excommunicated him retroactively. In 1428 Wycliffe's corpse was exhumed and burned and the ashes cast into the River Swift.

B. John Huss (1370-1415). Priest, theologian, and dean at Charles University in Prague, Bohemia (Present-day Czech Republic). His teachings strongly influenced Martin Luther and the Reformation. In the Bohemian language Huss literally means “Goose”.

C. Clergy Denounce. Like Wycliffe, Huss denounced the immorality of clergy, including the papacy, and the sale of indulgences. Wycliffe said that Christians should regard the Bible, not the Church, as the supreme source of religious authority.

D. The Goose is Cooked. Under the promise of safe passage, Huss agreed to appear at the Council of Constance, Session 15, to defend his teachings, but once there his safe passage was revoked by the presiding Bishop Johannes Zachariae, and on July 6, 1415 John Huss was burned at the stake. As they lit the fires, Huss declared: “You can cook this goose, but in a hundred years a swan will arise that you will not be able to silence.”

E. The Swan Arises. In 1517, ~100 years after Huss’ death, Martin Luther posted his 95 theses protesting many of the same things that John Huss had protested. Luther was hailed as the “swan” in fulfillment of John Huss’ last words.

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“You can cook this goose, but in a hundred years

a swan will arise that you will not be able to silence.”

– John Huss, July 6, 1415

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Statue of John Huss constructed in 1935, in the municipal district of Zbraslav, in the southern

part of Prague, capital of the Czech Republic,

Figure 5.

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Lesson 1 From Luther to the Lightening Bolt

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Lesson 2 Monastery & Rome Crises!

Lesson 2. Monastery & Rome Crises

The Early Monastic Life At The Monastery in Erfurt.

A. Luther’s Conscience. Luther was consumed by his own guilt. He was driven by the fear of God’s wrath, and hoped that life in a monastery would help him find salvation through good works.

B. Review of the Law. Luther regularly reviewed the Ten Commandments, and said the greatest Scriptural fear he had was breaking the First Commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). Luther also regularly reviewed the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and questioned whether he could faithfully live according to it’s principles. He was haunted by the scenes of judgment in the Book of Revelation.

C. Daily Confession. Because he lived in constant fear of God’s judgment, Luther spent hours each day before the Father Confessor. His overwhelming sense of guilt caused Luther great physical pain and suffering, including digestive difficulties, kidney problems and gall stones. He said, “If I could believe that God was not angry with me, I would stand on my head for joy.”

D. Asceticism [Define]. Luther practiced extreme self-denial, fasting, self-flagellation, deliberately sleepless nights, and staying in the freezing cold in his attempt to please God.

E. Love for God? Luther was once asked, “Brother Martin do you love God?” Luther replied, “Sometimes I hate Him. … Christ seems to me nothing more than an angry judge who comes to me with a sword in His hand.”

F. Anxiety Accentuated. Luther entered the monastery hoping to relieve his sense of personal sinfulness and fear of the God’s judgment. Unfortunately, Luther’s time in the monastery accentuated rather than alleviated his anxiety. The more he tried to do for God, the more aware he became of his sinfulness. [Stop & Think]

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Stop & Think How did Luther try to relieve his guilty conscience?

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Read Romans 3:20. Why did Luther’s efforts actually have the opposite effect?

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Monastery & Rome Crises Lesson 2!

Luther Officiates His First Mass At The Monastery.A. Hans & Martin Reconcile. Even though Hans Luther

was furious with his son for not pursuing a law practice, the two eventually reconciled. When Martin was scheduled to officiate his first Mass, Hans invited his business associates to attend.

B. Consecrating the Elements. During the Mass, when Luther was suppose to consecrate the elements (bread & wine) and turn them into the literal body and blood of Christ (called transubstantiation), Luther froze. “I was utterly stupefied and terror-stricken,” I thought to myself, “Who am I that I should lift up mine eyes or raise my hands to the divine majesty? For I am dust and ashes and full of sin, and I am speaking to the living, eternal and true God.” Another priest had to step in and finish the mass, and Luther, his father, and the monastery were embarrassed.

Transubstantiation.A. Change in Substance. According to the teachings of

the Roman Catholic Church, during the Mass the elements (bread & wine) are turned into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the elements are to be worshiped.

B. The Prayer & Power of the Priest. During the Eucharist, by the priest’s prayer of consecration, the elements change into the Real Presence of Christ, though the outward appearance stays the same. This power is conferred upon a priest at ordination.

C. [Re]Sacrifice of Christ. According the Catholic Church, every Mass is the non-bloody sacrifice of Christ.

D. Official Doctrine. in 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council, made transubstantiation an essential doctrine that all Catholics were required to believe.

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After his conversion, Luther would later write, “The Mass is the greatest blasphemy of God, and the highest idolatry upon earth, an abomination the like of which has never been in Christendom”

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Hebrews 10:10-1410 By this will we have been sanctified through the

offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering

time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;

12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God,

13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.

14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

Stop & Think How does transubstantiation contradict Scripture.

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Lesson 2 Monastery & Rome Crises!

Martin Luther’s Disappointing Journey To Rome.

A. Great Expectations. In 1510, Martin Luther and another monk were sent to Rome on business. The two traveled on foot (~ 825 miles one way!) and found food and lodging in monasteries along the way. They managed to reach Rome in just a little over a month (averaging 20-25 miles a day). The two monks reached Rome in the winter of 1510, and when the papal capitol first came into view, Luther fell to his knees, raised his hands and shouted, “Hail to thee, holy Rome!” Luther’s expectations were high.

B. Scala Sancta. One of the Catholic shrines that Luther visited in Rome was the Scala Sancta (“The Holy Stairs”), supposedly the same stairs Jesus ascended when He appeared before Pilate. According to medieval legend, Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, brought the stairs from Jerusalem to Rome circa AD 326. The Catholic Church taught that by ascending these steps on one’s knees in the appropriate fashion, one could buy an indulgence for a loved one in purgatory. Luther said, “Oh! how I regret that my father and mother are still alive! What pleasure I should have in delivering them from the fire of purgatory!” And so, Luther climbed the steps to free his grandfather, Lindemann Luther, from purgatory. As he ascended, he kissed each step, and repeated the Lord’s Prayer, but when he reached the top step, Luther looked back and thought, “Who knows whether this is true?” [Figure 6.]

C. Church Corruption. In Rome, Luther witnessed first hand the corruption of the Roman church. The more Luther saw of the city, the more his reverence for Rome turned to loathing. Luther stayed in Rome for one month and was bothered by the luxurious living, loose morals, and general lack of interest in spiritual things among the monks they visited. The priests were openly infidel, and scoffed at the services they performed; the papal attendants were men of the most shameless character and lives. Luther said, “If there is a hell, Rome is built over it.”

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Scala Sancta, “holy stairs”. Ascending each of the 28 steps on one’s knees, while reciting the Lord’s prayer (Our Father), reduces the soul of a loved one’s time in

purgatory by nine years per step.

Figure 6.

Monastery & Rome Crises Lesson 2!

The Roman Catholic Doctrine Of Purgatory.A. Intermediate Sate. The word “Purgatory” did not

appear until AD 1160, referring to an intermediate state after physical death in which a Catholic must first “undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” According to Catholic dogma, no one in Purgatory will remain forever in that state or go to hell.

B. Fiery Punishment. Purgatory is commonly regarded as a cleansing by way of painful temporal punishment, which, like the eternal punishment of hell, is associated with fire.

C. Help From Others. Catholics who are still on earth are able to help souls in purgatory by: offering prayers, works of penance, almsgiving, and indulgences.

D. Apocrypha. To support their doctrine of purgatory, the Roman Catholic Church appeals to an apocryphal reference in 2 Maccabees 12:39-46, which talks about praying for the dead. The Apocryphal books are of unknown authorship and of doubtful origin, but were officially accepted by the Roman Catholic Church in 1546 at the Council of Trent. Catholic Bibles contain 46 Old Testament books, rather than the accepted 39: Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, and Baruch were added to the Old Testament.

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Stop & Think Give Scriptural arguments against purgatory

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Figure 7.

Lesson 2 Monastery & Rome Crises

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Lesson 3 Tower Experience!

Lesson 3. Tower Experience

Luther Joins The University Of Wittenberg Faculty.

A. Frederick the Wise. Elector of Saxony, Frederick the Wise wanted to make Wittenberg, Germany into a religious and intellectual center.

B. Reliquary. In pursuit of his goal, Frederick acquired over 19,000 relics for the reliquary at Wittenberg, including supposedly a thumb from St. Anne, a twig from Moses' burning bush, hay from the manger, and milk from the Virgin Mary. A person who rendered appropriate devotion to each of these relics could merit 1,902,202 years off from Purgatory.

C. Luther Summoned to Wittenberg. In 1502, Frederick the Wise founded the University of Wittenberg, and in 1508, Johann Staupitz, first dean of the university, and head of the Augustinian monastery, sent for Luther to teach biblical theology at the University of Wittenberg.

D. Doctorate of Theology. On Oct, 19, 1512, Luther received a Doctor of Theology degree at the University of Wittenberg. When he received his doctorate, Luther took the Wittenberg University vow, “I swear to defend evangelical truth vigorously” - a vow which he kept throughout his life.

E. Quadriga. Bible interpreters of the Middle Ages almost exclusively employed a method called quadriga; a fourfold method of interpretation: Looking first for the literal sense of the text; second, the ethical; third, the mystical; and fourth, the allegorical. This method resulted in many imaginative interpretations.

F. Sensus Literalis. Luther developed a proper method of interpretation that he called sensus literalis (literal sense), which seeks to find the plain meaning of the text that was intended by the author, taking into account all figures of speech, e.g. parables are interpreted as parables, symbols as symbols, poetry as poetry, didactic literature as didactic literature, historical narrative as historical narrative.

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Tower Experience Lesson 3!

The Tower Of The Black Cloister In Wittenberg.

A. Romans Study. In 1515, Luther was tasked to lecture on the book of Romans at the University of Wittenberg. When he studied the Book of Romans, the phrase “the righteousness of God” terrified him, because he knew that he was a sinner who fell short of God’s righteousness. He wrote, “It struck my conscience like lightning,” and, “It was like a thunderbolt in my heart”.

B. Language Difference. The Roman Catholic Church used the translation of the Bible called the Latin Vulgate. The Latin word justificare, means to “make righteous”. And so the church taught that human beings are made righteous through good works and the administration of the sacraments. But the original Greek word dikaiosune means to “declare righteous”, exposing a flaw in the Roman Catholic view of justification.

C. Luther’s Breakthrough. While Luther was studying Romans in his upper room in the tower of the Black Cloister in Wittenberg [Figure 9], he realized that believers are declared righteous by their reception of a righteousness outside of themselves. This “alien righteousness”, as Luther called it, belongs to Christ. “All at once I felt that I had been born again and entered into paradise itself through open gates. Immediately I saw the whole of Scripture in a different light.”

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Statue of Martin Luther at the market place in Wittenberg, Germany.

Figure 8.

The Tower Of The Black Cloister In Wittenberg

Figure 9.

Lesson 3 Tower Experience

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Lesson 4 Building St. Peters!

Lesson 4. Building St. Peters

Catholic Popes From 1492-1521. 1

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1492-1503, Pope Alexander VI. Born Rodrigo de Borgia, Pope Alexander VI acknowledged fathering several children (~11) by his mistresses. The papal master of ceremonies, Johann Burchard, wrote: “There is no longer any crime or shameful act that does not take place in public in Rome and in the home of the Pontiff. Who could fail to be horrified by the … terrible, monstrous acts of lechery that are committed openly in his home, with no respect for God or man? Rapes and acts of incest are countless … [and] great throngs of courtesans frequent St. Peter’s Palace, pimps, brothels, and whorehouses are to be found everywhere!” His hedonistic ways were so shameless that even as crime and violence overtook the streets of Rome, the pope busied himself with staging comedic plays, lavish banquets, masquerades and dance parties – paid for with the church's funds (The Borgia Pope, Kessinger Publishing, 2006).

1503-1513, Pope Julius II. Before he was elected pope, during his 17 years as a cardinal, “Giuliano displayed all of the attributes of cupidity (greed for money and possessions) and corruption of an unscrupulous Renaissance prince. … The Cardinal, who lacked any interest in spiritual pursuits, became a patron of the arts” (Encyclopedia Brittanica). He purchased his office as Pope with the liberal use of simony [See 3.D, p.12], and once elected he passed a Papal Bull (edict) outlawing the practice. He was called the “Warrior Pope” because he personally lead papal armies into battle to enlarge the Papal States. Julius also undertook the destruction and rebuilding of St. Peter's basilica. Finally, despite the clergy's sacred oath of celibacy, Julius had several mistresses and at least one illegitimate daughter. In 1511, a council brought charges of lewd sexual acts against him, alleging that he was “a sodomite covered with shameful ulcers.”

1513-1521, Pope Leo X. Leo X is remembered most for his lavish spending habits in the years that he was Pope. His emptying of the Vatican's coffers led to various measures to create more revenue, through the sale of indulgences. Leo encouraged worshippers to pay for their sins – literally. He developed a price scale for various sins, requiring Catholics to give him money in return for absolving their wrongdoings. Threatening that their souls would not be able to enter heaven if they didn't pay up, Leo X set sinner fines for crimes such as murder, incest and theft (Pope Leo X: Opponent of the Reformation, Compass Point Books, 2006). Martin Luther, who had spent time in Rome said that Leo had vetoed a measure that cardinals should restrict the number of boys they kept for their pleasure, “Otherwise it would have been spread throughout the world how openly and shamelessly the pope and the cardinals in Rome practice sodomy.”

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Building St. Peters Lesson 4!

The 1200 Year Old Basilica Demolished.

A. Old St. Peter’s Basilica [Figure 10]. Construction on the old basilica began around AD 330 at the order of Emperor Constantine, and took 30 years to build. The Old St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome stood for almost 1200 years.

B. Pope Julius II (1503-1513) [Page 11]. Julius made the decision to demolish the ancient basilica and construction began on the new one on 18 April 1506.

C. Pope Leo X (1513-1521) [Page 11]. Because Pope Leo nearly bankrupted the Catholic Church by his lavish spending habits, to continue construction on St. Peter’s Basilica, Leo raised money by the selling of indulgences. The new St. Peter’s Basilica took 120 years to build and was completed in 1626.

Prince Albert of Brandenberg, Germany (1490-1545).

A. Ambition. Albert desired to be the most powerful cleric (clergyman) in all of Germany.

B. Archbishop. Though he was too young, according to Catholic law, Albert secured two archbishoprics: In 1513, at the age of 23, he became the archbishop of Magdeburg; and a year later, in 1514, Albert became the elector and archbishop of Mienz.

C. Ten Thousand Ducats. In order to hold more than one diocese, which was also against church law, Pope Leo demanded 12,000 gold ducats. Albert and Leo eventually agreed at 10,000 gold ducats, and Albert borrowed these funds from German banker Jakob Fuger.

D. Simony. The act of buying and selling church offices is named after Simon Magus, who is described in Acts 8:9-24 as having offered Peter and John payment in exchange for empowering Simon with the ability to impart the power of the Holy Spirit to anyone on whom he placed his hands. Simony, the practice of buying a church office, became rampant in the Middle Ages.

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Old St. Peter’s Basilica AD 360-1506

Figure 10.

Lesson 4 Building St. Peters!

Prince Albert Given Permission TO Sell Indulgences.

A. Fifty-Fifty Deal. Pope Leo gave Prince Albert permission to be in charge of the distribution of indulgences throughout Germany in those provinces that it was permitted. Half of the money collected would go to Albert to repay his banking debt, and the other half would be sent to Pope Leo X for the rebuilding of the new St. Peter’s Basilica.

B. The Keys of the Kingdom. Catholics believe that Peter was the first Pope of the church, and by apostolic succession each pope is given the Power of the Keys. In Catholic teaching, these are keys to the most important treasury that the church possesses; that is, The Treasury of Merit.

C. The Treasury of Merit. The depository where all of the merits that were earned by Jesus Christ, Mary, Joseph, all of the original apostles, and the great saints throughout the ages are stored.

D. There Types of Merit. In Roman Catholic teaching there are three types of merit: [1] Condign Merit. This is merit bestowed upon a person because the actions of that person are so virtuous that it imposes an obligation upon God to reward his or her actions, and if God did not He would be unjust (e.g. Jesus & the saints); [2] Congruous Merit. This is merit in which it is “fitting or congruous” for God to reward for performing good works in conjunction with the sacrament of penance. [3] Supererogatory Merit. This is merit beyond what God requires (e.g. the martyrs and the “great” saints). This surplus of merit is deposited in the Treasury of Merit, and may be distributed at the discretion of the Pope because he holds the Power of the Keys.

E. Applying Surplus Merit. An indulgence is a papal grant in which a certain amount of merit is taken out of the Treasury of Merit and applied to somebody who is deficient in merit, so that they can shorten their time in Purgatory and go to heaven.

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Matthew 16Power of the Keys?

15 [Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

18 I also say to you that you are Peter [Gk: petros, little rock], and upon this rock [Gk. petra, big rock] I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

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Building St. Peters Lesson 4

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Lesson 5 Indulgence Controversy!

Lesson 5. Indulgence Controversy

The Sale of Indulgences Throughout Germany.

A. Professional “Pardoners”. With the permission of the Church, professional “pardoners” were sent to sell indulgences and collect alms, as a way for Catholic rulers to fund expensive projects. Papal indulgences were used to fund ten crusades against Muslims and Protestants (1096-1291), and also used to fund many expensive building projects, such as St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome and St. Anne’s Church in Germany.

B. Exclusive Rights. Although Prince Albert possessed the exclusive rights to sell and profit from indulgences throughout Germany, he could not proffer indulgences in certain, prohibited areas of Germany, which included Saxony. Frederick the Wise forbade that practice within the confines of his authority.

C. Johannes Tetzel, (1465-1519). In 1517, Prince Albert secured the services of a Dominican monk named Johannes Tetzel who oversaw the distribution and marketing of indulgences in Germany. With great pageantry and fanfare, Tetzel persuaded the people to purchase indulgences, implying that the indulgence even covered future sins which the buyer was harboring in his heart. In his campaign, Tetzel came as near to Saxony as he could, and many people from Wittenberg crossed over the border to buy the prized papers. [Figure 11.]

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Indulgence Marketing “Every time a coin

in the coffer rings a soul from purgatory springs”

Johannes Tetzel (1465-1519)

Translated from German to English

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Indulgence Controversy Lesson 5!

Luther Posts His Ninety-Five Theses, October 31, 1517.

A. Academic Discussion. Tetzel’s crass marketing of indulgences infuriated Luther. In response, Luther wrote his Ninety-Five Theses against the sale of indulgences. He wrote them in Latin, which was the language used in the university, in the hope of discussing the matter behind closed doors among the university faculty.

B. Theses Posted. On October 31, 1517, Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the front door of the Church in Wittenberg, which was the normal place to post notices (kind of a community bulletin board) [Figure 12]. To Luther’s dismay, no faculty members responded to his invitation to discuss the matter.

C. Mass Distribution. In January 1518, unknown to Luther, students in Wittenberg translated the Ninety-Five Theses into the German language, and thanks to the invention of the printing press by German Johannes Gutenberg (1440), copies were made and circulated throughout Germany.

D. Immediate Aftermath. Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses were an obvious obstacle to Prince Albert’s fund-raising scheme to pay off his personal debt by selling indulgences. In an attempt to placate the Prince, Luther wrote an explanation of each of the theses in much calmer language. However, Albert, who had purchased his archbishoprics through simony, was not much of a theologian, and so he sent copies of Luther’s exposition to the Pope in Rome.

E. The Pope’s Response. Initially, Pope Leo simply dismissed Luther’s theses as the actions of a “drunken German”. However, increasing tension between the Dominican and Augustinian monasteries in Germany persuaded Leo to call for Luther to stand trial in Rome, but Frederick the Wise interceded for Luther and the Pope relinquished his order.

F. Tetzel’s Theses. In 1518 Johan Tezel wrote his own thesis in response to Luther and sent his theses to Wittenberg, whereupon the students at Wittenberg promptly burned it.

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Luther Vs. Tetzel

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Figure 12.

Lesson 5 Indulgence Controversy!

Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation: Theologia Crusis.

A. Rome Wanted An Explanation. At the request of Rome, the Augustinian Order invited Luther to a disputation, at which he was to explain his theses. Instead, Luther took advantage of the opportunity to present his theologia crucis, “theology of the cross,” focusing on justification. [Figure 13]

B. Heidelberg Disputation. On 26 April 1518, Luther presented 28 new theses. In many ways, Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation was more significant than his Ninety-Five Theses, for it advanced Luther's growing belief that the theology of Medieval Roman Catholicism was fundamentally at odds with Biblical theology.

C. Incubator for Future Reformers. Several of the Augustinian and Dominican monks in attendance during Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation were so persuaded by Luther ’s insight and depth of knowledge that they too would later become future reformers. One was Dominican monk Martin Bucer, later a Reformer in Strasbourg, who became professor of divinity at Cambridge. Bucer was to have a profound influence on a whole generation of reformers, not the least of which was John Calvin. Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation provided Bucer with his first taste of Reformation thinking.

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Figure 13.

“The love of God does not find, but creates, that which

is pleasing to it.”

Heidelberg Disputation, Thesis 28

Indulgence Controversy Lesson 5

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Lesson 6 Progress To Wörms!

Lesson 6. Progress To Wörms

Luther Meets With Cardinal Cajetin in Augsburg.

A. Differences Discussed. Rome sent Cardinal Thomas Cajetin, the leading Roman Catholic theologian of his day, to meet with Luther in Augsburg. In October 1518 the two discussed the theological and ecclesiastical issues with which Luther differed.

B. Popes Have Erred. During four interviews with Cajetin, Luther denied the validity of indulgences and the treasury of merit authorized and supported by Pope Boniface VII in 1300 and Pope Clement VI in 1343. Luther stated that no evidence existed in Scripture to support indulgences or the Treasury of Merit, therefore, Boniface and Clement had erred.

C. Papal Infallibility Rejected. Luther’s position rejected the unofficially accepted doctrine of papal infallibility, and after the interviews Luther barely escaped with his life from the clutches of the enraged Cajetin.

Luther At Leipzig.

A. Summons To Leipzig. Luther’s interviews in Augsburg and the consequent accusations of heresy prompted the Roman church to summon Luther to Leipzig in June 1519 to debate John Eck, the chief Roman Catholic theologian in Germany.

B. Scripture Alone. During the debate, Luther said that he agreed with John Huss’ position that Scripture alone bound the Christian’s conscience. He also believed that the Council of Constance had erred in its sentence of Huss. Hence, Luther believed both the pope and church councils possessed the capacity to err. [cf. Figure 14.]

C. Luther Condemned. In response, Pope Leo X issued a papal bull (authoritative edict) against Luther, condemning him as a heretic and ordered his written works burned. Upon the bull’s arrival at Wittenberg, Luther burned the document in public before the gates of Wittenberg (Dec. 10, 1520).

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Review of Events

Oct 1517 95 Theses

Apr 1518 Heidelberg

Oct 1518 Augsburg

July 1519 Leipzig

Apr 1521 Wörms

On Dec 18, 1999 in Prague, Pope John Paul II apologized for the execution of John Huss, i.e. the Council of Con-stance had erred!

Figure 14.

Progress To Wörms Lesson 6!

Luther Appears Before The Imperial Diet In Wörms.

A. Charles V Convenves The Assembly. When Roman Emperor Maximilian heard of the trouble Luther was causing, he determined to get involved. But Maximilian died in 1519, and his successor, Charles V of Spain (supported by Frederick the Wise), inherited the upheaval. Charles called for an Imperial Diet (an assembly overseen by the Emperor) in 1521 in Wörms, Germany to resolve the situation.

B. Promise of Safe Passage. Luther was summoned by the emperor, and Frederick the Wise obtained an agreement that if Luther appeared he would be granted safe passage to and from the meeting. This guarantee was essential after the treatment of John Huss, who was tried and executed at the Council of Constance in 1415 despite a promise of safe conduct.

C. Journey to Wörms. Luther’s 14 day journey to Wörms (April 2-16, 1521) was like a victory march, as he was welcomed enthusiastically in all of the towns along the way, preaching in several of them. When he arrived in Wörms he was cheered by the people. As the official papal representative to the diet, Jerome Meander wrote in a secret message to the pope, “Nine-tenths of the people are shouting ‘Luther!’ and the other tenth are crying ‘Death to the Roman Court!’ ”

D. Two Questions. Luther appeared before the Diet on April 17 at 4:00 PM. In attendance was 21 year old Emperor of the “Holy” Roman Empire, Charles V, and a room full of princes, nobles, and papal legates. The papal representatives at the Diet were acting under instructions from the Pope not to allow the occasion to degenerate into a debate, but to put Luther firmly on the defensive. When Luther entered the proceedings he was asked to respond to two questions: [1] Did he acknowledge the authorship of 25 books that his accusers had gathered which bore Luther’s name? [2] Would he stand by them or retract anything in them? Luther requested and received 24 hours to contemplate his decision, and retired to his room to spend the night in prayer. [Condensed Excerpt, Right]

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The All-Night Prayer Vigil Of Martin Luther

April 17, 1521

“O God, Almighty God everlasting, how dreadful is the world! Behold how its mouth opens to swallow me up, and how small is my faith in Thee! . . . O the weakness of the flesh, and the power of Satan! … O Thou, my God help me against the wisdom of this world. … The work is not mine, but Thine. … I have nothing to contend for with these great men of the world! I would gladly pass my days in happiness and peace. But the cause is Thine . . . and it is righteous and everlasting! O Lord, help me! O faithful and unchangeable God, I lean not upon man. Whatever is of man is tottering, whatever proceeds from him must fail. …Therefore, O God, accomplish Thine own will! Forsake me not, for the sake of Thy well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ, my defense, my buckler, and my stronghold.”

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Lesson 6 Progress To Wörms!

Luther Defends His Writings At the Diet Of Wörms.

A. Luther’s Response. The next day at 4:00 PM Luther addressed the assembly: [Condensed Excerpts Below]

• Faith & Morals. “There are some books in which I have dealt with faith and morals, so agreeable with the Gospels that my adversaries themselves admit them useful and clearly worth reading by a Christian. If I recant here, what would I be doing but condemning that truth which is admitted by friends and foes alike?”

• Tyranny of the Pope. “The second kind consists in those writings leveled against the papacy that through the Pope's laws the consciences of the faithful have been most pitifully ensnared, troubled, and racked in torment, and their goods and possessions devoured. If then I recant these, the only effect will be to add strength to such tyranny”

• Private Individuals. “The third kind consists of those books which I have written against private individuals, who have exerted themselves in defense of the Roman tyranny. But it is not in my power to recant, because that would give that tyranny and blasphemy an occasion to rage against God's people more violently than ever.”

• Closing Remarks. “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture (for I trust neither pope nor council, since they have often erred and contradicted themselves), my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since to act against one’s conscience is neither safe nor right. I cannot do otherwise. Here I stand, may God help me.”

B. Luther Kidnapped. When Luther left Wörms, Frederick faked a kidnapping and hid him in his castle at Wartburg, where he worked for a year translating the New Testament into German.

C. The Edict of Wörms. The Emperor ordered that Luther be later captured and put to death and his books and writings burned. But because of overwhelming public support for Luther among the German people and Frederick’s protection, the Edict of Wörms was never enforced in Germany.

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Luther at Wartburg

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Statue of Martin Luther in Wörms, Germany

Figure 15.

Progress To Wörms Lesson 6!

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Luther before Emperor Charles V in Wörms Germany, April 17, 1521

Figure 16.

Lesson 6 Progress To Wörms

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Lesson 7 Roman Catholic View Of Justification (Part 1)!

Lesson 7. Roman Catholic View Of Justification (Part 1)

The Order & Meaning of the Word Justification.

A. Latin Word for Justification. The problem surrounding the Medieval church’s understanding of justification involved the word itself. Using the translation of the Bible, called the Latin Vulgate [Right], the Catholic Church in the “Holy” Roman Empire developed its understanding of justification from the Roman legal system and the interpretation of the Latin word justificare, which means “to make righteous.” The question is: How is a sinner made righteous?

B. Ordo Salutis. Since sanctification is the process by which one is made holy. Roman Catholic clergymen developed an order of salvation (Latin: ordo salutis) in which justification followed sanctification, i.e. one can only be justified after being fully sanctified.

C. Original Greek Translation. In contrast, Protestant scholars, using the original Greek translation of the New Testament, developed their understanding of justification from the translation of the Greek word dikaiosune, which means “to declare righteous.” As a result, they restored the proper relationship between justification and sanctification; i.e. the sinner is declared righteous by grace through faith in Jesus Christ’s substitutionary atonement (Justification), followed by the life-long process of being made holy in his or her Christian practice (Sanctification).

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The Latin Vulgate1. In 382, Pope Damasus I commissioned Jerome

(347-420), to revise the Vetus Latina (“Old Latin”), the collection of Latin manuscripts of the Bible previously used by the Catholic Church. The new translation was called the Latin Vulgate.

2. The word Vulgate means “for the common people” which is ironic since the Roman Catholic Church would later forbid “common people” from owning or reading the Bible or translating it into the “vulgar” (common) languages, cf. Roman Catholic Councils of Toulouse (1229), and Tarragona (1234).

3. The Gutenberg Bible is one notable printed edition of the Vulgate by Johann Gutenberg in 1455.

4. On April 8, 1546, the Council of Trent, Session 4, declared that the Latin Vulgate was the Roman Catholic Church’s officially accepted translation of the Bible.

Side Note. Jerome, who was a first rate biblical scholar, knowing both Hebrew and Greek, rejected the Apocrypha in the strongest terms, and refused to place it in the Latin Vulgate. It was only after the death of Jerome that the Apocrypha was placed in the Vulgate.

“Justification by faith alone is the article upon which the

church stands or falls.”

Roman Catholic View Of Justification (Part 1) Lesson 7!

Justification Begins With Baptism: Removal Of Sin.

A. Justification Begins With Baptism. According to Roman Catholic dogma, justification occurs through the operation and proper use of the sacraments. Hence, justification begins with the first sacrament: baptism.

B. Effects of Baptism. In Roman Catholic theology, baptism removes original sin, and places an individual into a state of grace, hence baptism is necessary for salvation. Baptism is the beginning of justification and the mark that distinguishes between those who are members of the Church and those who are not.

Justification & Penance.

A. Justification is Not a Guarantee. According to Rome, justification does not guarantee salvation, but Christians may still fall from their state of grace. While venial sins will not cast one from the state of grace, mortal sins bring death to the state of justification (contrary to Protestant biblical interpretation).

B. Penance. What happens if a baptized Christian in a state of grace commits a mortal sin? Despite such a fall from grace, an antidote exists in the form of another sacrament: penance.

C. Faith, Grace & Merit Required. Penance possesses many components, but the main issue lies in sanctification. Roman Catholic doctrine states that in order to attain and maintain a state of grace, an individual must possess faith, grace, and merit. Penance ensures that Christians keep or regain there inherent righteousness through congruous works of merit. These actions make it only fitting (i.e. congruous) that God would restore a person to a state of grace and inherent righteousness.

D. Luther’s Objection. Though faith does hold a place in the Roman Catholic system of justification, Luther vehemently denied any place for works of merit in the biblical plan of justification.

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Seven Sacraments Of the Catholic Church

1. Baptism - Removes original sin & grace is infused.

2. Penance - Confession, contrition, works of satisfaction.

3. Eucharist - Transubstantiation & sacrifice of Christ

4. Confirmation - Sealed w/ Spirit

5. Holy Orders - Ordination of deacons, priests & bishops.

6. Matrimony - Lifelong, irrevocable union of man & woman.

7. Anointing the Sick - Last rites

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Lesson 7 Roman Catholic View Of Justification (Part 1)

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Lesson 8. Roman Catholic View Of Justification (Part 2)

The Council of Trent and Its Legacy.

A. XIX Ecumenical Council. In response to the theological upheaval caused by the Protestant Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church called an ecumenical council in the middle of the sixteenth century. The Council met for twenty-five sessions between 1545 and 1563 (18 years) in Trento, Italy.

B. The Sixth Session. The Council of Trent addressed the doctrine of justification during the sixth session (1547), and developed a number of canons branding the Reformation doctrine of justification by faith alone as heretical and anathema (cursed).

C. Irreconcilable Differences. The Council of Trent’s anathemas attacked the fundamental tenets of the Gospel message, effectively eliminating any hope for unity amongst Protestant and Roman Catholics

D. Still Their View Today. The Council of Trent’s decrees on justification are still the official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church today. [Figure 17]

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Pope John Paul XXIII400 years after the Council of Trent, when Pope John XXIII [Right] initiated the Second Vatican Council, known as Vatican II (1962-1965), concerning the decrees issued by previous Catholic church councils, he declared, "What was, still is.”

Figure 17.

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Roman Catholic View Of Justification (Part 2) Lesson 8!

The Council of Trent & Session 6 on Justification.

A. A Necessary Condition. The council declared that faith forms a necessary condition for justification. Faith possesses three elements or steps; the initium (faith begins as the starting point of justification), the fundamentum (faith serves as the fundamental, foundational structure upon which justification lies), and the rodex (faith is the radical core of justification). Accordingly, justification cannot follow without faith.

B. Not a Sufficient Condition. Nonetheless, faith al-though a necessary condition, is not a sufficient condition, meaning that if the condition of faith exists, it will not in and of itself produce the desired result (similar to oxygen and its part in the starting and maintaining a fire). A Christian may fall from the state of grace, losing justification, but still retain faith. This demonstrates the insufficiency of faith for justification in the Roman Catholic system.

C. The Instrumental Cause of Justification. The coun-cil designated the sacrament of baptism as the instrument by which an individual enters into a justified state of grace. This stance repulsed the Reformers, for they believed entrance into a state of grace occurred through the instrument of faith alone, not faith and a sacrament.

D. Analytical View. The Roman Catholic Church upholds an analytical view of justification. An analytical statement is inherently true. Therefore, while both Protestants and Roman Catholics may agree that God must declare an individual justified for justification to occur, the analytical view demands that the person already posses an inherent righteousness worthy of the declaration. God must see perfect righteousness to declare perfect righteousness.

E. Unbearable Burden. This position instigated a response by the Reformers because they could not reconcile with Scripture the burden placed on the individual through the analytical view.

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Catholic View of Justification

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Canons of the Council of Trent Canon of Inspired Scripture

Session 7, On Justification, March 3, 1547

Canon 5 - If anyone denies that by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ conferred in baptism, the guilt of original sin is remitted; or asserts that the nature of sin is not taken away; LET HIM BE ANATHEMA.

Luke 23:43 - “And He said to [the thief on the cross], ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.’”

Session 6, On Justification, January 13, 1547

Canon 12 - “If anyone says that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in divine mercy, which remits sins for Christ's sake, or that it is this confidence alone that justifies us, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA.”

1 John 4:17-18 - “By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”

Canon 15 - “If anyone says that a man born again and justified is bound to believe that he is one of the predestined, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA.”

1 John 5:13 - These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Canon 17 - “If anyone says that justification is only attained by those who are predestined, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA.”

Romans 8:30 - “These whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

Canon 24 - “If anyone says that justice received is not preserved and increased before God through good works, but the works are the fruits and signs of justification and not a cause of the increase, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA”

Romans 3:28 - “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Cannon 30 - “If anyone says that after the grace of justification has been received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out, that there remains no debt of temporal punishment to be discharged in this world or the next in Purgatory before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened to him,; LET HIM BE ANATHEMA.”

Romans 8:1 - “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Session 13, The Eucharist, October, 11 1551

Canon 1 - If anyone denies that in the sacrament of the most holy Eucharist are contained the body and blood, the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, calling it a sign, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA.

Matthew 26:29 - At the last supper, when Jesus instituted the sacrament of Communion, He referred to the contents of the cup as the “fruit of the vine”, not His blood.

Cannon 2 - If anyone … denies the conversion of the bread into the Body and the wine into the Blood which the Catholic Church calls transubstantiation, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA.

Hebrews 10:11-12 - “Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God”

“Anathemas” Pronounced By The Council Of Trent.3

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Roman Catholic View Of Justification (Part 2) Lesson 8

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Lesson 9 Protestant View of Justification!

Lesson 9. Protestant View Of Justification

Sola Fide & The Protestant View of Justification.

A. Faith Alone. Sola fide means “by faith alone,” and this phrase represents the fundamental difference between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism that created the epic stir in the sixteenth century. The five solas of the Protestant Reformation, including sola fide, point to the central importance of the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

B. Faith in Christ. The Reformed Christian believes that faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross alone provides justification, and from justification arises works. Roman Catholicism, on the other hand, believes that faith, plus the administration of the sacraments, plus works, plus an undetermined stay in purgatory, eventually results in justification.

C. Forensic Term. The Reformers recovered the biblical view of justification as a forensic term. The word “forensic,” from Latin forensis, meaning “in open court”, is used to refer to a legal act. Justification is the judicial act of God, based on the substitutionary atonement of Christ, in which God declares that all the requirements of the Law have been satisfied with respect to the one who believes in Jesus Christ.

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Five Solas of the Reformation1. Sola Fide. FAITH ALONE in Jesus Christ is reckoned

(imputed) as righteousness (Romans 4:5); AND NOT works to earn salvation (Galatians 2:16; Isaiah 64:6).

2. Sola Scriptura. SCRIPTURE ALONE is the ultimate authority for faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16); AND NOT the precepts or traditions of men (Mark 7:7-9, 13; Col. 2:8).

3. Sola Gratia. GRACE ALONE is the sole cause of our salvation (Ephesians 1:3-6); AND NOT any cause within us (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

4. Solo Christo. CHRIST ALONE is the only Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5); AND NOT any earthly priest (John 14:6).

5. Soli Deo Gloria. TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY, therefore we are to do all to the glory of God (1 Peter 4:11; Philippians 4:20); AND NOT maintain a sacred-secular distinction (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Protestant View of Justification Lesson 9!

The Reformed Doctrine of Double Imputation.

A. Crucial Question. Since “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), how can anyone stand in the presence of a perfectly righteous and holy God (Psa.5:4-5), who requires sinless perfect holiness (1 Pet. 1:15)?

B. Synthetic Justification. In contrast to the Roman Catholic analytical view of justification, which maintains that God may only declare an individual righteous if he already possesses and inherent righteousness (sinlessly perfection), the Reforma-tion view designates justification as synthetic. When God declares an individual just in His sight, He does not do so on account of something inherent in the person but based on something added to him. This addition is the righteousness of Christ, a righteousness Luther called extra nos (outside of us) and labeled as justitia aliena, an alien righteousness.

C. Abraham Declared Righteous. Using Abraham as an example, the apostle Paul explained that despite the presence of sin in the life of Abraham, God declared him righteous because he believed in God’s promises. God imputed to him Christ’s righteousness, legally transferring Christ’s righ-teousness and applying it to Abraham on account of faith.

D. Practice Versus Position. Hence, Luther coined the phrase simul justus et peccator : simultaneously righteous and sinner. In their daily practice, Christians still sin. Yet in their position before God, Christians are considered righteous on account of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. This forms the heart of the Gospel, and allows for the reconciliation of man to God.

E. Double imputation. The transfer of the believer’s sin to Christ and Christ’s righteousness to the believer stands as another crucial doctrine of the Reformation and biblical theology.

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Abraham’s RighteousnessRomans 4:3 - “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’”

(cf. Genesis 15:6, Galatians 3:6)

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1 Corinthians 5:21 - “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the

righteousness of God in Him.”

Isaiah 53:11-12“The Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniqui-ties ... He Him-self bore the sin of many”

Romans 4:5 “But to the

one who does not work, but

believes in Him who justifies the

ungodly, his faith is reckoned as

righteousness.”

Definition

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Lesson 9 Protestant View of Justification

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Lesson 10 Rome’s Objections Answered!

Lesson 10. Rome’s Objections Answered

The First Objection: Antinomianism (Lawlessness).

A. Antinomianism. Rome’s first objection to the assertion regarding justification by faith alone consisted of a charge of antinomianism against the Reformers. This challenge accused Protestants of living willfully sinful, ungodly lives while still claiming to live in the state of grace. (cf. Russian Monk, Rasputin)

B. Faith that Works. The Reformers responded by saying that justification by faith alone apart from works does not mean the Christian life is devoid of good works.

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C. Three Elements of Saving Faith. In 1521, German reformer Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560) first published his work, Loci Communes Theologici, which was the first systematic explanation of Protestant theology. It condensed the thoughts of the Reformers and defined the three essential elements of saving faith:

• notitia - The intellectual knowledge of the Scriptural data concerning the Person and work of Christ.

• assensus - Assent or agreement that the Gospel is absolutely true.

• fiducia - Personal trust in Jesus as the Savior from one’s own sins.

D. The Work of the Spirit. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit who washes and regenerates the human heart, and gives faith to believe resulting in justification, also sanctifies, i.e. produces holiness and good works (Titus 3:5, 1 Corinthians 6:11),

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“We are justif ied by faith alone, but faith that saves is never

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antinomianism -

James 2:19 -

Three Views of Justification:

Catholic -

Reformed -

Justification -

Motivations NOT to live lawlessly:

John 14:15 -

1 John 3:21-22 -

1 Cor. 3:11-15 -

Heb. 12:10-12 -

1 John 2:3-4 -

2 Cor. 5:20 -

Rome’s Objections Answered Lesson 10!

The Second Objection: How Can God Justify Sinners?

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A. Argument. Only wicked judges, justify the wicked. To justify the wicked and declare them righteous would be against the nature of God who is just. Every sin of every sinner must be punished according to the full extent of God’s Law, or God would not be perfectly holy.

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B. Answer. The debt against the believer is neither ignored nor erased but paid in full and God’s wrath propitiated (Appeased, Placated, Soothed) by Christ’s substitutionary atonement on the cross, thus fulfilling the righteous requirements of the Law.

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Proverbs 17:15“He who justifies the wicked and he who

condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.”

Romans 3:21-26“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness … that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

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Lesson 10 Rome’s Objections Answered!

The Third Objection: James Says Faith Plus Works.

A. Peril of Proof-Texting. In its rebuttal to the Protestant Reformers’ doctrine of justification, the Roman Catholic Church referred to James 2:14-26: “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24).

B. Law of Non-Contradiction. Yet in Paul’s epistles, the apostle frequently speaks of justification by grace through faith apart from works. Since all Scripture is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16), the verses in James’ and Paul’s epistles cannot contradict each other but must be reconciled.

C. Similarities. Both James and Paul use the same word for justification (dikaiosune) and both point to the patriarch Abraham as their example. Paul, in Romans 4:1-5, references Genesis 15 in his evaluation of Abraham’s justification, while James 4:21 refers to the account found in Genesis 22 when Abraham offered up Isaac.

D. Abraham Justified by Faith. In Romans 4, the apostle Paul demonstrates the role of faith in justification: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Faith alone, planted in the heart of the individual by the Holy Spirit, results in God’s declaration of righteousness. Thus Abraham was justified by grace through faith, when he believed God’s promises (Genesis 15:6).

E. Abraham’s Faith Evidenced by Works. According to the sequence of events in Abraham’s life found in Genesis (11-25), Abraham was justified by his faith in God (Genesis 15:6) prior to his sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22:1-14). James uses the account of Abraham and Isaac on Mt. Moriah to show that Abraham’s faith in God was proven by his works. All Protestants agree with this notion, and Luther labeled this faith a fides viva, a vital, living faith. Good works do not contribute to justification but flow from it.

F. Different Purposes. In Romans and James we have the two sides of justification: Paul explain’s how justification is accomplished by faith in God, and [2] James shows that true, living faith produces good works, as the fruit or evidence of justification.

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Salvation isby grace

through faith,not works

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• Isa. 64:6• Luke 23:43• Acts 16:30-31• Rom. 1:17• Rom. 3:20• Rom. 3:21-22• Rom. 3:26-27• Rom. 3:28• Rom. 3:30• Rom. 4:2• Rom. 4:5• Rom. 4:6• Rom. 4:9-11• Rom. 4:13-14• Rom. 4:16• Rom. 4:20-25• Rom. 5:1• Rom. 5:8-10• Rom. 6:14• Rom. 6:23• Rom. 9:30-32• Rom. 10:4• Rom. 10:9• Rom. 10:13• Rom. 11:6• Gal. 2:16 • Gal. 2:21• Gal. 3:2-3• Gal. 3:6-9• Gal. 3:11• Gal. 3:24-25• Gal. 5:4• Eph. 2:8-9 • Phil. 3:9• 2 Tim. 1:9• Titus 3:5

James 2:24“man is

justified by works and not by faith

alone.”

Ephesians 28 For by grace you have been

saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

10 For we are His workman-ship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Romans 3:28“man is

justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”

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Rome’s Objections Answered Lesson 10

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E quipping God’s people for ministry in the church and

mission to the world.

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Fall 2017 - Winter 2018 Semester Luther TheReformation fileB GRACE BIBLE COLLEGE Luther & The Reformation FALL 2017- WINTER 2018 SEMESTER LESSON 2017 FALL QUARTER - 5 LESSONS PAGE