That Little Monk From Wittenberg

I shall not bore you with my own words for Luther accept to say that if my wife would let me, I would name my next son after him.

Luther's own words in regards to the Reformation:

After the pope had taken over all power and authority by force and cunning so that no emperor or king could humble him, this "son of perdition" (2 Tess. 2:3) was to be revealed by the power of the Word of God. I got into this very innocently, for twenty years ago I had no thought of it. Indeed, had another person so then taught, I would have damned him and burned him with fire. But God is the Cause, for He has miraculously done these things. It is true that when I was a young master a Erfurt. I was always beset by the temptation of sadness. Therefore I applied myself diligently to reading the Bible, and so, from the bare text of the Bible, I soon saw many errors in the papacy. But thoughts like this came to me there in the library at Erfurt:See how great the authority of the pope and the church is. Should you alone be considered wise? Indeed, you may be in error. I gave place to these thoughts and was completely hindered in my Bible reading. But later, when I saw the gross abuses of the indulgences and refuted them and they wanted to destroy me, then things began to happen (da gings an), though very feebly...So God carried on this affair in a marvelous way and drove me into it without my intention (unschuldig), and He alone advanced it so far that a reconciliation between the pope and us is impossible. For the pope will not agree to yield the least error; and we dare not yield to him in any-even the smallest- article. Therefore may God help this cause. It is completely out of human hands. As long as I live, I shall certainly help pluck the pope to the glory of God.*

Hitherto I have done nothing from criminal, reckless, disordered motives, for the sake of worldly honor and profit; all I have written and taught has been according to my conscience and sworn duty as a humble teacher of the Holy Scripture, for the praise of God, for the benefit and salvation of all of Christendom, and for the good of the entire German nation.*

I know that I would be the most agreeable and the dearest person if I were to say this one word revoco, that is I recant. But I will not turn heretic by contradicting the opinion which made me a Christian. I would rather die by fire or be exiled and cursed."*

"But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Ga 6:14).
Soli Deo Gloria!

For His Glory,
Fernando


*Ewald M. Plass, What Luther Says (St. Louis, Mo: Concordia Publishing House, 1959), p.1174
*Ibid, p. 1183
*Ibid, p. 1184