Martin Luther was a dedicated priest in the Roman Catholic Church. He struggled greatly with the conflict between what he understood of Jesus’ teachings of the Christian life and the great gift of salvation to all people, and the practices of the Church that seemed designed to keep Christians in a state of perpetual fear, manipulating them rather than teaching and preaching God’s word.
Through his Biblical studies, prayer, and deep and serious scholarship, Luther gained insight and understanding of how the Church needs to be the people of God. He saw all Christians as “the priesthood of all believers” who were entitled to come to God directly in prayer. Then he took a stand before the power of Rome, in the hope of reforming the Church he loved and wished to serve. These verses from Ephesians jumped out at Luther, with the clear statement that we are saved not by our works, but by God’s gift of grace. And as we know, this man’s determination and dedication to bringing people into a relationship with God and teaching them of God’s love and grace brought about great changes in not only the Church, but socially, politically and culturally.
Have you ever found yourself faced with circumstances you don’t know how to handle? Most of us have, in one way or another. Perhaps it involves conflict within a family, issues within a community or neighborhood, or a serious matter at work. It could be as major as awareness of unethical or illegal behavior, or more manageable, such as working out a misunderstanding with a friend or family member. Reaching the right conclusion or coming to a good resolution is rarely easy, but we have a model before us of this man who faced the greatest power in his world, confident that his cause was just and right.
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers