I must confess that for this book club, I was very slack and didn’t read the whole 2 chapters we were discussing,. I Promise to make up for it next week!
In our discussions we discovered, we had all heard of the 95 Theses but none of us actually knew what Luther’s 95 Theses were. So, I thought I’d find out. Check out this link to view and English translation of Luther's 95 Theses
Having now finally read the chapters… what struck me the most was the depth of Luther’s despair (Pg 27) and (page 26) His diligence in trying to save himself through sacraments, ordinances and penance. How wonderful and amazing grace must have been when he realised that Gods gift of grace was free!
I have had some heavy discussions with relatives about ‘hearing the voice of God’ I also found the statement of Luther’s Father on page 24 very relevant to today’s situation for many charismatic’s. ‘You learned scholars, have you not read in the Scriptures that you should honour your father and your mother? And here you have left me and your dear mother to fend for ourselves in our old age’. Scripture should always take precedence over experience. And yet so often people let their experience rule them rather than the scriptures. As his father says ‘God grant that it was not an apparition of the devil!’ page 25, if we allow ourselves to be dictated by our experience, how do we know if the ‘message’ we receive is truly God’s or the devils? It appears the words of his father troubled Luther greatly until he realised that Gods commandments take precedence. Luthers intial response, seems to be how many respond today… ‘however firmly I closed my mind against them yet in my heart of hearts I have never been able to forget them’ Page 25. I pray that my friends and family will also eventually come to the realisation that Luther did…. ‘God’s Commandment must take precedence.’ Page 25
Please share your thoughts on these chapters with me…
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