The Joy of the Real Gospel
Oct 31, 2015 1103
On October 31, 1517, the monk and teacher Martin Luther wrote a letter to his superiors denouncing the sale of indulgence (“forgiveness”). He enclosed 95 questions for discussion, that would echo around the world and change Christianity forever. Martin Luther went on to study the Bible’s teachings about the gospel until he came to an understanding of justification by faith. Luther describes his understanding and experience:
“Though I lived as a monk without reproach, I felt that I was a sinner before God with an extremely disturbed conscience. I could not believe that he was placated by my satisfaction. I did not love, yes, I hated the righteous God who punishes sinners, and secretly, if not blasphemously, certainly murmuring greatly, I was angry with God, and said, “As if, indeed, it is not enough, that miserable sinners, eternally lost through original sin, are crushed by every kind of calamity by the law of the decalogue, without having God add pain to pain by the gospel and also by the gospel threatening us with his righteousness and wrath!” Thus I raged with a fierce and troubled conscience. Nevertheless, I beat importunately upon Paul at that place, most ardently desiring to know what St. Paul wanted” (Luther’s Works, Volume 34, P336-337).
“At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, “In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, ‘He who through faith is righteous shall live.’ ” There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith. And this is the meaning: the righteousness of God is revealed by the gospel, namely, the passive righteousness with which merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.” Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates. There a totally other face of the entire Scripture showed itself to me. Thereupon I ran through the Scriptures from memory. I also found in other terms an analogy, as, the work of God, that is, what God does in us, the power of God, with which he makes us strong, the wisdom of God, with which he makes us wise, the strength of God, the salvation of God, the glory of God. (Luther’s Works, Volume 34, P336-337).
Martin Luther finally came to understand that God’s love has found a way, that the Gospel declares us righteous, that we do not have to fight our battles alone. This was the moment he felt himself born again and a part of God’s kingdom. That delight can be yours today as well.
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