On November 10th, 1483, a baby boy was born to a poor but hard working couple of Eisleben, Saxony (in Germany). On the day following, being St. Martin’s eve, he received the name Martin. Martin Luther’s early life was hard, though he received a sound religious education, albeit reinforced by countless floggings. At the age of fourteen he attended the Franciscan school at Magdeburg. Due to the difficulty of finding food, he left Magdeburg and went on to Eisenach. Things were not much better at Eisenach. Forced to go from door to door, singing in an effort to gain a little food, he attracted the attention of one Ursula Cotta, the wife of Conrad Cotta. There, in happier environs, Luther excelled in his schooling. In the year 1501, Luther entered the University of Erfurt. At the age of 22 he became an Augustinian monk, and at 24 a priest of the church. It was not until Martin was at the University of Erfurt, the most distinguished in Germany at that time, that he, for the first time in his life, beheld a copy of the Holy Bible — a copy in the library! Though raised in a “Christian” home, and receiving a religious education, he had never seen a copy of the Holy Bible! What a treasure we hold in our hands!
Justification by Faith
Fearing the consequences of dying in his sins, Luther entered the Augustinian Convent at Erfurt. He explained later that he was never in heart a monk, nor did he enter the convent to mortify the lust of the flesh, but because of his horror and fear of death. There was in the monastery a Bible, chained to a spot, to which Martin often resorted. And there too, in the seclusion of his cell, with the help of one John Lange, Luther undertook the study of Greek and Hebrew. However, Luther’s studies only served to torment him further. At that time, John Staupitz was the vicar-general of the Augustines for all Germany, and he came to Erfurt to inspect the monastery; there he noticed Luther and his dejection. Remarkably, that great churchman pointed Luther in the right direction. He explained it was not possible for man to stand before God on the ground of his works or his vows. He could only be saved by the mercy of God and that mercy must flow to him through faith in the blood of Christ. With the exhortation, “Let your principal occupation be the study of the scriptures,” he presented Luther with a copy of the Bible. But it was not till he was near death with a sickness brought on by his exertions that Luther finally received deliverance through the words of an old monk, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins.” It is a remarkable fact that the German Reformation hinged entirely on this question, “How can a man be just in the sight of God?” (Job 9:22I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? (Job 9:2)). Can man be saved by works?
“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-74But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4‑7)).
Luther’s Theses Nailed to the Church Door at Wittenberg
We must skip much of Luther’s early life and move on to John Tetzel, the pope’s agent for the sale of indulgences. In need of money, Pope Leo X had issued indulgences to be sold throughout Germany. John Tetzel, a Dominican monk and the pope’s agent, went about preaching and selling these worthless documents. “Indulgences are the most precious and the most noble of God’s gifts. Come, and I will give you letters, all properly sealed, by which even the sins that you intend to commit may be pardoned. I would not change my privileges for those of St. Peter in heaven, for I have saved more souls by my indulgences than the Apostle by his sermons. There is no sin so great than an indulgence cannot remit.” Calling them fraud, Luther as a priest refused to accept the indulgences. He went a step further, appealing to the common sense and the conscience of the German people on October 31st, 1517, he nailed his theses to the church door at Wittenberg — ninety five propositions challenging the whole Catholic church to defend Tetzel and the sale of indulgences. God alone could remit sins, Luther declared.
Luther Excommunicated
In August of 1518, Luther was ordered to appear in Rome. Fearing that his end would be the same as that of Huss, Elector Frederick of Saxony demanded that the trial should be held within his own territory. This was only the beginning of the battle. On June 15th, 1520, Pope Leo issued a “bull,” denouncing Luther’s teaching and again ordering him to appear in Rome. Undeterred, Luther burnt the Pope’s bull before a large crowd of spectators. The Pope responded with excommunication.
Luther at Worms
On January 6th, 1521, Charles V, Emperor of Germany, assembled his first Imperial Diet — a convention of the Germanic states — at Worms. One of the principle questions concerned ecclesiastical reform. Again the good Elector Frederick of Saxony came to the defense of his friend and demanded that Luther should not be condemned without a hearing. On April 16th, much against the advice of well-meaning friends, Luther appeared in Worms in answer to the summons. During the final leg of his journey, a great crowd of supporters accompanied him. On the afternoon of the 17th he appeared before the Imperial Diet, where two questions were put before him: “Martin Luther, you are called upon by his imperial Majesty to answer two questions: first, Do you admit that these books, were written by you? Secondly, Are you prepared to retract these books, and their contents, or do you persist in the opinions you have advanced there?” To the first he acknowledged in the affirmative. To the second he asked for a space that he might answer so as to neither offend the Word of God nor endanger his own soul. A day was granted to him, a day in which he spent in prayer. On the next day, appearing again before the Emperor, he began first with an explanation but was cut short and a clear answer was demanded of him. He replied thus: “Since your most serene Majesty and the princes require from me a clear, simple, and precise answer, I will give it thus: I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the councils, because it is as clear as day that they have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture, or by the clearest reasoning, and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the Word of God, I cannot and I will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I take my stand; I cannot do otherwise: may God be my help! Amen.” After consideration, the council decided to dismiss Luther, forbidding him to cause the least disorder, and that he and his heretical followers were to be excommunicated. Such a decision fell far short of the desires of the papal party and an assassination attempt was planned. However, friends of Luther abducted him, spiriting him away to the Castle of Wartburg, where he was kept out of harms way. Though chafed by the confinement, Luther completed a translation of the New Testament into German, and improved his knowledge of Greek and Hebrew with the goal of producing an entire translation of the scriptures into German. After revision by Luther’s friend and scholar, Philip Melancthon, the New Testament was published in 1522, and the Old Testament in 1530.
The First Diet of Spires
In June of 1526 a diet was convened at Spires. The emperor demanded that all contentions respecting religious subjects should cease; that the church customs should be maintained entire; that the edict of Worms should be speedily executed, and that the Lutherans should be forcibly destroyed. At this juncture, we find the Reformation in Germany taken up by the German princes, a move, that while initially pure, ultimately lead to the politicizing of the reformation. The evangelical princes resisted the edict of the Emperor, astonishing the papists. When word came of the advance of the Turks towards Vienna, the diet speedily terminated with the edict that a free council should be called without delay; and that in the meantime every one should be at liberty to manage the religious concerns of his own territory, in the manner he saw fit, yet under a due sense of his accountability to God and to the Emperor.
The Protest
A second diet was held in 1529, at which the Emperor took a strong stand, negating the edict of 1526. This proved offensive to the princes, striking as it did at the very root of their privileges and independence. After long and furious discussions, the Emperor demanded the unconditional submission, to which the evangelical princes protested — this was on the 19th of April, 1529. On the next day, a written protest was presented. On that account they received the name of Protestants. The evangelical princes, along with the deputies of fourteen imperial cities, signed the written declaration. All signers were civil authorities; not one ecclesiastic signed the document.