10/28/51
Aggressive Christian Concern
Scripture: II Timothy 1: 1-14
Text: II Timothy 1: 7; "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
History is filled with warning against a human element in the institution of man, however carefully his institutions be built. Perhaps an empire is built and flourishes for years, or even generations. But leaders do err and sometimes degenerate; and then those with restive conscience demand change -- reform. Perhaps some long-established custom which had for many years seemed the right outlet for peoples’ conduct, has been abused by the selfish manipulation of those seeking their own advantage. And when degenerate, it is attacked and overthrown and something better established in its place.
Even the church may become bound by the frailties and perversities of the people who make up its membership and leadership. And there rises a demand that some things within it, which have come to seem in error, be changed, and the spiritual righteousness of people be re-invigorated.
So it was with the church in Europe of half a millennium ago. Its structure, its clerical pattern, its creeds and sacraments had been declared and built with care, determination and faithfulness for generations. But is was oft discredited in the eyes of some thoughtful people because of the acts and attitudes, and the power wielded by some of its leaders.
Those who were entrenched in its traditions branded its critics as heretics and made of the heretics’ non-conformity a death-deserving crime. When such a temper develops in any institution, it is matter of risk to think freely, with adventure of mind and spirit.
The church had become encased in the tradition of a single language, universally used throughout Christendom -- at least by the priesthood. So when some insisted on the freedom to translate the Scriptures into the language that the people of a given nation understood, the translators were met with stern disapproval.
Other free spirits within the church were a source of fearful concern to the orthodox directors of the church’s destiny. So it had been that John Wyclif of England and Jan Hus of Bohemia, and their followers, had been persecuted and ordered to recant in order to stop their "rocking of the ecclesiastical boat." Some, like Hus, had been burned at the stake. Some had been imprisoned or otherwise persecuted for their nonconformity. But the restless desire continued to grow -- a desire not to destroy the church; certainly not to ignore it; but to re-form it by correcting the abuses which were upheld by so many of the leaders.
When Martin Luther came upon the scene in Germany, there had already been a considerable amount of this desire for change in the abuses by church leadership. Much of the struggle was not simply a matter of spiritual faith, but had a political angle. For, knowing full well the power of organization, rulers of state desired their rule to be strengthened by the approval of the church. And the pope and priesthood desired a considerable hold over the actions of people through control over the religious life of the rulers of state.
There was political unrest especially among the German princes at that time. So the church hierarchy had its hands full of diplomatic maneuvering not only in the handling of its theological heretics, but in trying to help hold together a form of government congenial to its control.
Martin Luther was not one of those priests sprung from a family of the political or social nobility. There were many such, but not he. He was the son of a miner, of very ordinary, humble lineage. He had entered the priesthood and had become a member of a monastic order with great sincerity. He was priest of a parish and a teacher of theology at the time his name sprang to prominence.
It is just 433 years ago, next Wednesday, that he wrote out 95 theses in which he believed, concerning the church of his day, strode to the castle church at Wittenberg, in Saxony, and nailed the paper to the door. There was nothing sensational about this act. The church door was often a kind of bulletin-board where debatable matters were posted, that people might read them, think about and discuss them.
But this time there was seen to be some mental, ecclesiastical and even political dynamite in the position of the vigorous priest. A printer of the city, seeing the list on the church door on that Hallowe’en, saw the possibility of a scoop, printed thousands of copies of the theses, released them for distribution throughout the German states. There was already enough reformation spirit among the Germans so that the words of the fiery priest caught fire. And the conflagration of sincere enthusiasm fed by this, and numerous other writings of Luther, by the Swiss reformers in Geneva, and others, became more than the change within the church which they intended, but became the mighty Reformation movement which has given us our Protestant heritage.
The church had labored through the centuries to build up a solid body of belief, agreed upon by a majority of its leaders, that could be taught and administered by its priesthood, and to which all members could adhere without serious difference of opinion or serious question. This issued in a great deal of power being centered in the hierarchy. Now comes Martin Luther with a different kind of thinking. The Christian is not to be justified by acceptance of, and obedience to, an authoritarian church. But he is justified by his faith, through the mercy of God. His spiritual authority is not the long-crystallized teaching of the church so much as the Bible, as the individual believer reads and understands the Bible. Not the voice of the hierarchy, but the Holy Bible is the Word of God to the seeker for spiritual truth.
This was a radical departure from the established doctrine and was regarded as a very dangerous theory, indeed. The more Luther’s thinking gained adherents, the greater became the determination of the Catholic Emperor and the church leaders to curb him or even to get rid of him. The Emperor, fully understanding the undesirable turmoil in Germany, issued an imperial edict proclaiming that Luther was a Bohemian Heretic and a revolutionary who would soon be excommunicated by the Pope. The presentation of this edict precipitated a storm on the floor of the Diet, and a cardinal had to separate the electors of Saxony and Brandenburg. Some of the electors finally persuaded the emperor that a condemnation of Luther without a hearing might precipitate an insurrection.
So the emperor changed his tactic somewhat. He agreed that Luther should come, under safe conduct, to be examined by learned men. He was to answer, not argue. After several revisions, the summons was sent as an invitation, addressed to "Our noble, dear, and esteemed Martin Luther." ("Zounds," exclaimed Aleander when he read it, "That’s no way to address a heretic."). The letter continued: "Both we and the diet have decided to ask you to come, under safe conduct, to answer with regard to your books and teaching. You shall have 21 days in which to arrive." And a special imperial herald delivered the message.
There was real doubt that Luther would come. He wrote to one, "I will reply to the emperor that if I am being invited simply to recant, I will not come. If to recant is all that is wanted, I can do that perfectly well right here. But if he is inviting me to my death, then I will come. I hope none but the papists will stain their hands with my blood. Antichrist reigns. The Lord’s will be done."
Luther wrote to another: "This shall be my recantation at Worms: ‘Previously I said the pope is the vicar of Christ. I recant. Now I say the pope is the adversary of Christ and the apostle of the Devil." Evidently Luther had decided to go; and in his obedience to the emperor he minced no words in his defiance of the hierarchy! It was exceedingly dangerous for him to go. For it was quite possible that a plot could be carried out to seize him in spite of the emperor’s safe conduct. And, in the previous century, Jan Hus had been taken and put to death despite the assurance of a safe conduct. But Luther lived in an atmosphere of the constant repeating of the Lord’s passion. He could brave death; just as our Lord set his face to go to Jerusalem, so Luther went.
When he arrived at Worms he was greeted not alone by the disapproval of clergy and rulers, but by quite a bit of interest on the part of common people who lined the streets to see him. Next day he was conducted, through back streets to avoid crowds, to the hall for the hearing. He was shown a pile of his books and asked if he had written them. He replied, "The books are all mine, and I have written more." A door of escape was left open for him when his interrogator asked, "Do you defend them all, or do you care to reject a part?"
Luther stalled, for good reasons. He may have been terrified. But, reflecting aloud, he said, "This touches God and his Word. This affects the salvation of souls. Of this, Christ said, "He who denies me before men, him will I deny before my father! To say too little, or too much, would be dangerous. I beg you, give me time to think it over."
Emperor and diet deliberated, and brought an answer. He deserved no consideration, said their spokesman. He should be prepared to defend his position since he was a teacher of theology and since he had come specifically for that purpose. Nevertheless, the emperor in his clemency would grant him until tomorrow. The next day, he was ready, both in his thinking and in his spirit of determination. (Also, the word had "got around," and a larger crowd was there, in a bigger hall.) He was again asked the question of the previous day. Luther began: "Since then your majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen." ["Here I Stand" - Bainton, p. 185].
Luther had spoken in German, and had to repeat the whole speech in Latin.
The emperor’s first opinion was one of severe condemnation; but he allowed Luther to return under safe conduct. He warned, however, that this immunity would not last beyond the period of safe conduct. He asserted that Luther was a notorious heretic and asked each of the electors to declare himself. It was a bold test of the political loyalty of the electors! Many of his hearers went white, but next day each elector declared himself in accord with the emperor. But only four of the six signed!
The emperor delayed signing of the final edict of Worms until all the pro-Luther members of the diet had gone home. Then he got it approved by the remainder who were loyal papists. The Lutheran followers promptly repudiated the edict, as passed only by a rump session. And the papists got themselves into the position of approving a verdict of heresy by a secular tribunal instead of the usual ecclesiastical council.
Friendly Elector Frederick decided that things were much too dangerous for Luther; so he had Luther abducted and hidden in the Wartburg Castle. He gave the general orders, but instructed that not even he be told the details so that he might feign innocence of any plotting. From the secret hideout, the influence of Luther continued to seep out until the Reformation became a full fledged, successful revolt and testimony!
That is the kind of spirit in which Protestant Christianity was born! It is not just something "against." Our faith is something mightily, courageously "for" - Pro Testare.
It is in Christianity what Dwight Eisenhower says the American way of government is. Some years ago, at his inauguration as president of Columbia University, Eisenhower said: "America was born in rebellion, and rebellion against wrong and injustice is imbedded in American temper. But whatever change our rebels of the American past may have sought, they were quick to proclaim is openly and fearlessly from the housetops. We need their sort, and we shall strive to develop them, informed intelligent rebels against ignorance and imperfection and prejudice. But because they have sought the truth, and know it, they will be loyal to the American way, to the democracy within which we live. They will never tire of seeking its advancement, however viciously they may be attacked by those content with the status quo."
It takes courage to fight for freedom, in government and in religion. It takes courage to maintain freedom. And I’m talking particularly to a congregation of Protestant Christians at the moment! Freedom is under attack from many quarters. It can be maintained only by constant, vigilant pro testation of the right, as we are given to see the right by assiduous attention, and by the direct revelations of God.
Luther, and the other reformers before and after him, did not found a new faith. Their contribution was one of restoration of the faith to its true relationship between man and God. Not the edict or power of any one church group --Congregational, Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran or any other -- but the sincere, earnest, cooperating, dedicated service of all Christians in personal faith and action, expressed in aggressive Christian concern, is our sacred duty and opportunity.
The precious heritage we have calls for a continuing religious re formation in our experience; reminding ourselves of at least three things:
Prophets, martyrs, saints, sincere loved ones before us and yet with us, reformers --- countless folk make up the cloud of witnesses compassing us about. Wherefore, "Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." [Hebrews 12: 1].
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Delivered in Wisconsin Rapids October 28, 1951, and Oct 30, 1955.