The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation is being celebrated this year, 2017. Why? Because historians acknowledge and date the beginning of the Reformation to October 31, 1517, the day Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.
Over the next couple of months, each day, I will offer a single theses for rumination and consideration. To be sure, some will be less invigorating that others. Still, if you follow along, you will cover each of them over the next 95 days.
Please note that I will be using Timothy Wengert's "95 Theses with Introduction, Commentary, and Study Guide." If you don't have a copy, pick one up, it is an excellent resource.
[The Ninety-Five Theses or] Disputation for Clarifying the Power of Indulgences
Out of love and zeal for bringing truth to light, what is written below will be debated in Wittenberg with the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology and regularly appointed lecturer on these subjects at that place, presiding. Therefore, he requests that those who cannot be present to discuss orally with us will in their absence do so by letter. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, in saying "Do penance ...," wanted the entire life of the faithful to be one of penitence.
2. This phrase cannot be understood as referring to sacramental Penance, that is, confession and satisfaction as administered by the clergy.
3. Yet it does not mean solely inner penitence -- indeed such inner penitence is nothing unless it outwardly produces various mortification of the flesh.
4. And thus, penalty remains as long as hatred of self (that is, true inner penitence) remains, namely, until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
At the heart of these first 4 theses is that brokenness and sin are the natural order of life and living. We are sinful, even when we are contrite, as long as we are alive. This is the reality of being "sinners". It is less a description of activity as it is a state of being.
Therefore, a penitent life is, first and foremost, an acknowledgement of this reality. Yet, the good news is that while we are sinners, hope remains in Christ.
Lord Jesus, amidst my sin, help me to seek Christ. Amen.
3. Yet it does not mean solely inner penitence -- indeed such inner penitence is nothing unless it outwardly produces various mortification of the flesh.
4. And thus, penalty remains as long as hatred of self (that is, true inner penitence) remains, namely, until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
At the heart of these first 4 theses is that brokenness and sin are the natural order of life and living. We are sinful, even when we are contrite, as long as we are alive. This is the reality of being "sinners". It is less a description of activity as it is a state of being.
Therefore, a penitent life is, first and foremost, an acknowledgement of this reality. Yet, the good news is that while we are sinners, hope remains in Christ.
Lord Jesus, amidst my sin, help me to seek Christ. Amen.
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