Luther, Justification, and me

The is a repost from over three years ago, and although the details have changed, the principles remain the same. It seemed appropriate for Reformation Day.

Yesterday i read a prayer letter from some dear friends. It mentioned that part of their new year routine was to get up earlier in the morning to spend more time reading the Bible before going to work. Amen, i'm there with you.

The only 'resolution' i made this year was to get up at 6am, so i could have a longer quiet time before heading off to work. Edwards probably wasn't joking when he said Christ recommended getting up early by rising early on the third day. Now 6am isn't very early by Pitt County standards, but it is only shortly after the time i'd go to bed in my student days, so it still presents a challenge to my motivation and discipline.

So far all's been going well. I have my coffee, a chapter of 'What Jesus demands from the world' some prayer, my Bible schedule (leviticus and matthew at the moment) and then some of whatever book is next in Teen Church (Colossians at the moment). After this i go to work happy, satisfied, ready.

This morning, my time was unavoidably interrupted. Interrupted is the wrong word, cut short perhaps would be better. But anyway, i was out of routine. And here's the challenge that represents to me, how much is my standing with God based on what i do between 6-730 each morning.

I'm told that on his desk Luther had written something like 'Ex baptisma' meaning, 'i am baptised'. This was to remind him that his salvation was out side of himself. That his justification depended on something that he had not done. Not 'being baptised', that was his way of remembering the life, death and ressurection of Christ on his behalf. Luther knew that whatever he was doing, telling Melanchthon he hadn't sinned enough, building his bowling alley, or throwing an ink well at the Devil, he was safe, he was secure, his justification was outside of him.

I'd love to say that my quiet times leave happy, satisfied and ready because because my heart is filled by the glory of the Gospel of the happy God each morning. But more often than not, i'm happy because i can tick a box, i can file away 'devotions' for another morning. Justification by quiet time is the great evangelicalism of my generation.

So on a flustered, irregular morning, what does Luther remind me? That i am a son of God through faith in Christ (Gal 3:26). And that is enough.

A Man Aflame for God

Luther's principles in religion and ethics must be constantly borne in mind if he is at not to appear unintelligible and even petty. The primary consideration with him was always the pre-eminance of religion. In a society where the lesser breed were given to gaming, roistering and wenching, the Diet of Worms was a veritable Venusburg - at a time when the choicer sort were glorying in the accomplishments of man, strode this Luther, entranced by the songs of Angels, stunned by the wrath of God, entranced by the wonder of creation, lyrical over the divine mercy, a man aflame for God. For such a person there was no question which mattered much save this: How do i stand before God?

He never would shirk a mundane task such as exhorting the elector the repair the city wall to keep the peasants' pigs from rooted up the village gardens, but he was never supremely concerned about pigs, gardens, walls, cities princes or any and all of the blessings and nuisances of this mortal life. The ultimate problem was always God, and man's relationship to God. For this reason political and social reforms were a matter of comparative indifference. Whatever would foster the understanding, dissemination and practice of God's Word should be encouraged, and whatever impeded it must be opposed. This is why it's futile to to inquire whether Luther was a democrat, aristocrat, autocrat or anything else. Religion was the chief end for him, everything else was peripheral.

Here I Stand. Roland Bainton, P214 (paragraph mine)

Along with being simply the nicest feeling book i've ever held in my hands, Bainton's biography of Luther is one of the most helpful. Luther was something of a mystery to people even in his own time, even before he started to reform. Some felt he spent too much time in confession, naming every little sin, instead of going out and doing the work of a monk. If this is madness, it's an ailment i want, frankly. Then, when the Reformation took hold, some felt he didn't got far enough, while some felt he went too far. He remains something of a mystery today, it's hard to fit him into a box. Is that just because he was 'a man aflame for God?' I wonder if we're so unused to seeing men make their every decision based on the proclamation of God's Word, rather than political or social expediency that it seems strange to us. If that's the case, it says much more about us than it does Luther.

Jesus Tabernacled Among Us

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us

John 1:14

Martin Luther said this: 'we must both think and meditate on the Nativity. If the meditation does not reach the heart, we shall sense no sweetness, nor shall we know what solace for humankind lies in such contemplation. The heart will not laugh nor be merry. As spray does not touch the deep, so mere meditation will no quiet the heart. There is such richness and goodness in this nativity that if we should see it and deeply understand, we should be dissolved in perpetual joy.'

Think about Jesus as the tabernacle.

The Tabernacle was for use in the wilderness. Jesus was lead up by the Spirit into the wilderness. Matthew 4:1

The Tabernacle was outwardly humble and unattractive. (Jesus) has not stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. Isaiah 53:2

The Tabernacle was where God met with men. I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

The Tabernacle was the centre of God's camp a gathering place for God's people. And I, if i be lifted up from the earth will draw all men to myself. John 12:32

The Tabernacle was where the sacrifices for the sins of God's people were made. But He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12

The Tabernacle was a place of worship. My Lord and My God. (John 20:28)

We do not understand the teaching of the Old Testament in all it's fullness unless we read it through Jesus Christ- His incarnation, life death and resurrection. The Tabernacle has absolutely no meaning apart from Jesus.

Taken from 'Come Thou Long Expected Jesus' Pages 18-19, 26.