E
I agree there were many who understood the gospel, and in the context of the Catholic teachings on penance and topics such as the sacrifice of the mass and deeds of merit/treasury of merit Luther was absolutely more in line with it than the Catholic church either then or now.
But the gospel is not that all are accepted into the kingdom, nor is it the Calvinist teaching of the great exchange. The gospel is not that Jesus "paid the full price for our sins." The gospel is that sins are forgiven and we have an opportunity to freely serve the King. Luther separating sanctification from justification is divorced from the complete picture of the gospel.
The difference is whether one believes Jesus was raised from the dead, or if one simply believes in the resurrection. With Luther and protestant doctrine on the gospel there is room to boast, as it's all about agreeing with the right things. In protestantism it is not the salvation of Jesus but the believers belief that is meritorious. This is insidious but it's ill effects are aparent when we see groups like Westboro pop up and view themselves as "the elect" and preach hatred of everyone else.
Believing Jesus was raised from the dead, rather than believing in such a resurrection, necessarily changes how one behaves. Garbage collecters begin collecting garbage for God, lawyers navigate the law for God, bankers bank for God. Not special works done out of piety but works none the less springing from the conviction. And their works complete their faith in the way that Jesus found the Sardians deeds incomplete.
But the gospel is not that all are accepted into the kingdom, nor is it the Calvinist teaching of the great exchange. The gospel is not that Jesus "paid the full price for our sins." The gospel is that sins are forgiven and we have an opportunity to freely serve the King. Luther separating sanctification from justification is divorced from the complete picture of the gospel.
The difference is whether one believes Jesus was raised from the dead, or if one simply believes in the resurrection. With Luther and protestant doctrine on the gospel there is room to boast, as it's all about agreeing with the right things. In protestantism it is not the salvation of Jesus but the believers belief that is meritorious. This is insidious but it's ill effects are aparent when we see groups like Westboro pop up and view themselves as "the elect" and preach hatred of everyone else.
Believing Jesus was raised from the dead, rather than believing in such a resurrection, necessarily changes how one behaves. Garbage collecters begin collecting garbage for God, lawyers navigate the law for God, bankers bank for God. Not special works done out of piety but works none the less springing from the conviction. And their works complete their faith in the way that Jesus found the Sardians deeds incomplete.
The gospel is not that Jesus "paid the full price for our sins."
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1 Peter 2:24
- 2
- Show all