Martin Luther is referred to as the “Father of the Reformation.”  He ignited a change in Europe through study of the scriptures.  Light is essential to life.  In the very first verses of Scripture God said in 

Gen 1:3-4  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.  And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.  Without sunlight we have death.  Note wherever you have something that blocks out light in your yard nothing will grow.  Light is needed for life.  The same principle applies with the light of the Word of God.  This is best expressed in the book of John 1:4-5  In him was life; and the life was the light  of men.   And the light  shines  in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.  This gospel light is essential for true life to be experienced and enjoyed.  There is no life where the light has been blocked out.  In the time of Martin Luther even though the world was very religious there was not true biblical light shining into society.  The corrupted religious leaders of that time did everything possible to block the light from getting to the population.  The other word for light is TRUTH.  The greatest source of TRUTH we can obtain today is Biblical truth.   We are experiencing something very similar today in our world where the TRUTH IS not allowed to get to the population and we are only getting half truths and outright lies both from religious organizations and from the mainline media.   We need a Martin Luther today to stand and expose the lies with a 95 thesis.  The 95 thesis was 95 things that needed reforming in the Catholic church of that time.  Martin Luther was the man in his time and responsible, along with several circumstances that simultaneously affected Europe, to bring about one of the biggest ripple effect changes the world has ever witnessed.  Europe was flooded with light and new life was emerging.  It is so sad to me that our education systems do not teach these important segments of history that so radically changed history for good.  However, the fact is that our education systems are being used to actually block the light from shining into the minds and hearts of our generation.  If they do teach anything about the reformation, it will be with a derogatory slant making Martin Luther look like a foolish monk who caused a lot of trouble. However, the very opposite is true.  Martin Luther was a brilliant scholar who was also a trained priest in the Catholic Church.  He spent most of his younger years in college first training in law, then transferred to study for the priesthood.  Luther was a very serious, dedicated and a diligent student who was attempting within his religious order to perform his duties and exercise all of his religious knowledge, trying to please God and the Catholic Church fathers.  Luther never had a rebellious bone in his body until he discovered some important biblical truth from his study of the scriptures that the church was not following.  He felt responsible to do something about it. 

One famous quote I have heard that has destroyed so many institutions in the past is  “All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”  The Catholic Church was at a state of total power over the masses of population when Martin Luther was training for the priesthood.   The church was entangled very closely with the emperor powers of Europe and it endeavoured to keep Europe under the control of the Pope. The Pope and the church had tremendous power over the population at that time and really, no emperor could succeed to the throne of most countries in Europe without the Pope and churches’ approval.  The church was also involved in funding certain wars and huge building projects, using devious means to do so like the doctrine of “Indulgences.”  Indulgences was a doctrine created by the church to raise money by people paying money for the sins of deceased relatives to help get them out of purgatory.  This doctrine is not taught in any form anywhere in the Scriptures.  Purgatory, as taught, was a place between hell and heaven where souls were kept until God decided where to place them, this also is not taught anywhere in the Bible.  The money paid in indulgences would help God make up his mind where to send the deceased relative, hopefully to heaven.  This is not taught anywhere in the Bible.  

The Catholic Church made a decision during this sector of history allowing their priests to study the original Greek and Hebrew languages, in which the Bible was written.  The entire breakthrough of light and truth in the Reformation was because priests were discovering truth that was totally contrary to what the church was teaching. Jesus in a very similar setting addressed a corrupt religious crowd in his time and told them: Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, “If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31,32).  

Martin Luther discovered freedom from the heavy burden of religion he was trying to serve in and to please his masters.  His weight only got heavier the harder he tried until God began to reveal spiritual truth through the Word (bible) that faith is a personal matter and our faith is found only in the Scriptures, not in a religious system. Luther discovered it is personal faith in a personal Saviour that delivers a person’s soul, not his loyalty to a religious system of rules and traditions. Rules and traditions are what make up any religious order or denomination, not just the Catholic one.  Luther discovered that Christ was his master through the Word. It is only to Him we need to submit to and please through faith. Also, there is submission to the Word of God and not the church hierarchy unless they are following the Word of God. If they are not following the teaching of the Word of God then the onus is on everyone of us to follow the Bible not the religious authority irrespective of denomination. When Luther discovered this truth, it was a newfound joy for him, like as seen in Matthew 11:30: For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 

When Luther began to share these new revelations of truth, church leadership did not receive it well.  In fact, Martin Luther told some friends that he was sure he was going to be executed soon because Pope Leo X had made a decree that heresy was punishable by burning at the stake.  Luther began work on a document called “The 95 Theses.” In October of 1517 he nailed it on the door of ‘All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany.  This document was presented so that there could be open debate and discussion on each of the 95 items and to let the scripture be the authority, not the church authority alone.   It was the beginning of the Reformation.  Luther did this in fear and trembling but he felt strongly that someone needed to expose the heresy that the church was teaching and take a stand against unscriptural teaching.    

There was another very important invention that complimented the 95 Theses –the Guttenberg printing press.  The important points of the 95 Theses began to be printed in pamphlet form and was distributed throughout Europe in various languages.  This helped to ignite the Protestant Reformation.  Its influence caused the Catholic church to react with severe punishments in order to keep control of the masses.  They martyred thousands of people throughout Europe who joined the Protestant Reformation, burning many at the stake. They declared that all heretics will burn in hell like these who had left the Mother church.   Luther’s actions actually caused one of the biggest divisions to the church in all of history known, of course, as the Protestant Reformation.  This division, however, was never Luther’s intent. He only wanted the Catholic Church to reform its teaching to be in accord with the scripture, which was Sola Scriptura (meaning by scripture alone), and adherents of the church to have personal faith only in the Scriptures. For therein in the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just [righteous saved Christians] shall live by faith (Romans 1:17).  

The bravery and boldness of Martin Luther and the Gutenberg printing presses ignited a flood of truth and light throughout Europe over the next 100 years. It transformed Europe and the world and affected every sector of society in one way or another.  Yes, there was great division but division was actually necessary for truth to prevail and corruption to be exposed.  Luk_12:51  Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: Joh_7:43  So there was a division among the people because of him.  There is always division where the light shines in against darkness.  History teaches this and in our world today people need to make choices which side you want to be associated with.  The side of darkness or the side of light?  Remember Gen 1:3 light divided darkness from the light.  It always does this and always will.  In the end you will be on one side or the other but I want to warn you that to end up on the side of darkness is very dangerous and everlasting.   What side will you be on?  I will warn you also,  to take a stand on the side of truth and light will cost you but it will also pay huge dividends eventually. Martin Luther took a stand on the side of light and truth and almost lost his life several times because of it but even if he had it would be better than lingering in the shadows of darkness. 

I believe today we live in a very corrupt and evil time.  Many institutions, from the very top governments to the very bottom in our society, have become corrupt, greedy and evil in so many ways.   If we have a change for good it will be only through men and women standing up for truth and paying the price to do so like Martin Luther did in his generation.  It will only happen if we can once again accomplish, with God’s help, to flood our world with gospel truth and light.  Marin Luther had the printing press on his side and we have the internet and the printed page to get the message of truth out even though truth is heavily censored and our governments are trying desperately to pass legislation to further censor internet facts and truth.   Hopefully, we will witness another reformation for the glory of God and see multitudes of people set free.  

Please call if you have questions.  If you would like to join our Live Stream services go to www.pabaptist.ca   If you want your very own Bible to study we will give you one for free, along with some good Bible study material.  Please contact us on the web site 

The content of this article is solely the personal opinions of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Prince Albert Shopper.