I hope to say more later. But for now, at least I can point us to the instrument of God in His founding of Protestantism, our beloved Martin Luther (1483-1546). I will offer only a very few quotes and a brief comment.
Take away assertions and you take away Christianity.
The plain evidence is that free choice is a pure fiction.
There is nothing easier than sinning.
There is no more terrible disaster with which the wrath of God can afflict man than a famine of the hearing of his Word. But there is no greater mercy than when God sends forth his Word.
The Romanists want to be masters of Holy Scripture, although they never learn a thing from the Bible.
It is not sufficient for anyone, and it does him no good to recognize God in his glory and majesty, unless he recognizes him in the humility and shame of the cross . . . For this reason true theology and recognition of God are in the crucified Christ. God can be found only in suffering and the cross.
In searching yesterday for books by or about Luther in the bookstores of my town (3 "Christian" ones, a Borders, & a Joseph Beth), I learned that only one of them had anything, and it is a small work written to children. This is shameful. Not only do we Christians not know how it is that God in His kindness got the gospel to us when it was all but lost, and how much it cost those He employed; we don't seem to care. Stores aren't selling Luther because customers aren't interested in church history in general and the Reformation in particular. This man has so much to do with why any of us are Christians. And, he's hilarious, colorful, witty, engaging, courageous, humble, fearless, etc. Read about Luther. And read Luther. Your efforts will be well rewarded. Resource recommendations to follow in the next post. I hope you have a wonderful Reformation Day.
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