Martin Luther—Germany’s Advocate for Sound Biblical Doctrine

Martin Luther was born in Germany in 1483. He was educated in philosophy at the University of Erfurt. In 1507, Luther was ordained as a monk at an Augustinian monastery in Erfurt. It was here that he was able to study and teach theology. In 1511, Luther was transferred to the monastery at Wittenberg where he received his Doctorate of Theology degree (Cairns, p. 281-282).

As Luther studied, he began to uncover fallacies in the Catholic practices. Initially he took issue with the idea that man’s merit is what earned him his way into God’s grace (Lane, p. 155). This was compounded further by the Catholic belief that obedience to the sacraments actually bestows salvation (Lane, p. 160). Luther also took issue with many, arguably, non-salvic issues, such as the relationship of the sacraments to Christ. All of these issues, as well as others, fueled a number of Luther’s teachings, which are outlined in the following.

SOLA FIDE

Luther believed that salvation is only through faith. This is based primarily on Romans 1.17, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH’” (NASB). Luther’s understanding of this passage is that the full revelation of God’s righteousness comes by having faith and that the righteousness of man is demonstrated by his life lived according to faith. It is not a life lived in faith that produces righteousness (Vessey).

IUSTITIA DEI

Iustitia dei is the righteousness of God. “Luther was profoundly convinced that humanity’s merits before God were purely negative and that his own asceticism and holiness through works had not benefited him at all” (Vessey). In Luther’s understanding, God is so perfect, that even one seemingly insignificant sin removes one so far from righteousness that no work of man is sufficient to restore him to God’s standards. In a traditional Catholic understanding, man is capable of producing righteousness according to God’s grace.

CONTRA RATIONEM

Luther was against rationalism. This is an outright attack on theological scholasticism, still a common practice in modern theology. This is an attempt to disclose the hidden things of God, which He has chosen not to reveal to mankind. “Such an attempt is a theologia gloriae—vainglorious, self-glorificatory, the work of the devil!” (Vessey). In a sense, this pursuit of rationalizing God is idolatry in that man is lifting himself up to God’s level. Man is not the source of revelation, God is. God’s revelation comes according to scripture (sola scriptura) and the Holy Spirit, not by scholastic achievement.

CONTRA LEGEM

Luther also taught against legalism. Legalism, for purposes of Luther’s argument, can be defined as ‘according to the law.’ Luther’s teachings on legalism are focused primarily on the Catholic teachings, but are also applicable to refuting most world religions including Islam and Judaism. Luther’s basic view on the law is that one should adhere to the law as a product of faith and not as a means of producing faith (Vessey). This teaching closely ties into his teaching on sola fide in that salvation is by faith and not by works.

DEUS ABSCONDITUS

Deus absconditus is a term used by Luther which means ‘hidden god.’ It has to do with contra rationem in that that God has withheld certain revelation from man. There are two main ways that Luther uses deus absconditus. The first way is in relation to scholasticism, as previously addressed. “Luther argued that God remains hidden in His revelation, refusing to be known outside the relationship of faith” (Vessey). The idea is that one will not receive revelation aside from faith. A man can not find enlightenment by philosophical means. It is only when one receives the call to Christ and comes to faith that they become subject to revelation.

The second way Luther used the term deus absconditus is in relation to election. He holds that human election is an “act of the hidden God” (Vessey). He classifies free agency with salvation through merit. It is actually ironic that Luther addresses this common theological issue in this way. His argument is actually philosophical in nature—an attempt to understand the hidden God. In that the Bible is clear through implication that man is required to come to Christ of their own volition, Luther actually oversteps his own teaching on sola scriptura in order to make this point. Perhaps it is just one step too far to the right.

CONCLUSION

Martin Luther’s life can be summed up by calling him a man dedicated to the restoration of sound doctrine. His life’s works have been priceless to modern evangelicalism. Luther was excommunicated because of his writing’s in 1520, at which point he went into hiding (Cairns, p.284). In 1520 an edict was put out that any Roman citizen was responsible for turning Luther over to authorities (Cairns, p.285). Such was his dedication, that he spent the remainder of his life combating the Roman government and the papacy on the grounds of sound biblical doctrine.

References

Cairnes. E. E. (1996). Chsitianity through the centuries. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Lane, T. (2006). A concise history of christian thought. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Vessey, T. Lecture: The Reformation and Protestant Scholasticism (1517–1703)