500 years ago, Martin Luther, writes and nails his 95 theses to the doors of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. 500 years ago. 500 Years ago. Amazing that something 500 years ago can be seen to have such a great impact on the world of Christianity. Of course there is debate about whether or not this is an actual event or some sort of urban legend of its time. And my guess is that if you are on social media today there will be those who love to air their academic prowess and point out this as such. I'm not interested in if it happened just this way or not. I am interested in what all of this means. The 95 theses are really just 95 ways of saying the same thing. The Church and Clergy does not have the right nor the power to sell off sin or peddle grace for a grand amount of money. The Church should be the last place that creates a stumbling block to grace by making people, even bankrupt widows, pay a healthy sum to ease their fear of being damned to hell forever. Luther writes his grievances against the churches abuse of indulgences and its power to control the truth by being the only ones who can properly interpret the word of God. Grace is a gift. Indulgences (the ability to use your earthly funds to purchase teflon for your sinful life) are false. The Church is the tail of the dog and must be careful to not try and wag its owner. Luther was right to challenge the Popes, clergy, the church. He was right when convicted to protect the spiritual purity of grace. He was right to stand up against cruel forms of fear-mongering to induce repentance and scam money. He was right to make a display. He was right to fight for God over and above the Church that he loved extremely well. 500 years later we are still capable of using religion, spirituality, Christianity, salvation, fear, sin, and money to manipulate and extort people. Tell a sad enough story and people will cry. Tell a funny enough story and people will laugh. Tell a compelling enough story and people will repent. But unashamedly tell and act upon the story of God and we might just save the world.
You cannot buy grace. It's free and yours for the taking. The Church must be careful to not make grace the product of submission, repentance, giving, emotions, bible reading, prayer, service, or mission work. Grace is not a product to be bartered, traded, or sold. Grace is a free gift. Like air into your lungs breathe it in and when you do allow it to create space for God to dwell in the form of the Holy Spirit. And when you do...freedom, salvation, repentance, prayer, bible study, service, and transformation will naturally come and also inhabit your being.
I pray that this is the story and concept of God that will carry on another 500 years. Thank you Luther! Thank you Jesus!!
I accept your gift of grace and I look forward to the transformation taking place in me each day.
You cannot buy grace. It's free and yours for the taking. The Church must be careful to not make grace the product of submission, repentance, giving, emotions, bible reading, prayer, service, or mission work. Grace is not a product to be bartered, traded, or sold. Grace is a free gift. Like air into your lungs breathe it in and when you do allow it to create space for God to dwell in the form of the Holy Spirit. And when you do...freedom, salvation, repentance, prayer, bible study, service, and transformation will naturally come and also inhabit your being.
I pray that this is the story and concept of God that will carry on another 500 years. Thank you Luther! Thank you Jesus!!
I accept your gift of grace and I look forward to the transformation taking place in me each day.
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