Martin Luther was a man who was all in. That is to say that when he was committed to something, whether it was becoming a monk or striving to make himself acceptable to God by good works, he gave his all. Therefore, it should not be surprising that when young Martin was converted by the pure, biblical gospel of grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, he became a man obsessed with biblical truth like never before.
God brought Luther to the realization that God’s saving grace was mediated to the believing sinner by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The medieval Roman Catholic Church’s answer was that grace came only through the church’s sacraments which included the sale of indulgences.
In his continuing quest for a greater understanding of God’s Word, and the communication of such as a professor of theology and a lecturer, it was only a matter of time before Luther’s passion for the biblical gospel, and the traditions of the Catholic Church, would clash. This growing tension between the two came to a head during the summer of 1517.
The Catholic Church was dominated by religious relics, centuries of traditions and unbiblical superstitions in 1517. It remains so five centuries later.
In 1513, Leo X became pope following the death of his predecessor Julius II. Leo wanted to make Rome the artistic and creative center of the Western world. In hiring such artists as Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and others, Leo consequently plunged the church into even deeper debt than what he inherited from Pope Julius.
Pope Leo needed money specifically to pay for the new St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Albert, archbishop of Magdeburg, wanted to also become bishop of Mainz. However, since holding two or more bishoprics was unlawful according to the church’s laws, Albert needed a papal dispensation or exemption, from the pope. Pope Leo was willing to grant such an exemption for a price.
Therefore, Albert took out a loan and agreed to give half the money to Pope Leo. This gave the papacy much needed cash flow. In return, Pope Leo granted that indulgences could be sold in Albert’s territories, whereupon Leo and Albert would split the proceeds. Therefore, Pope Leo would continue to receive the money he needed to pay for St. Peter’s, while Albert would have a steady income of cash to repay the bank. If you think this was rather unethical, imagine what Martin Luther thought.
This growing controversy became centered on the abuse of the church’s sale of indulgences. What exactly are indulgences? What did the buyer receive? Are indulgences still sold by the Catholic Church today?
Indulgences were then, and are now, part of the sacrament of penance within the Roman Catholic Church. While there were many unbiblical practices observed by the church in the 16th century, the practice and abuse of indulgences were the focal point of Martin Luther’s ire.
Indulgences are the payment of a gift to the church in order for the payer to avoid the temporal consequences of their sin. By paying an amount of money, the church leader or priest would remove the temporal consequence the individual could face because of a sinful act on their part. Consequently, the more that was paid the more effects of sin could be avoided.
The indulgence could be applied not only to the living and also to the dead in purgatory. One pastor explains, “Notice that the definition says that it (the indulgence) can also be applied to the dead because, after all, purgatory itself is seen as temporal penalty for sin. Although most people at death are too good to go to hell, they nonetheless are not good enough to go to heaven. Therefore, in the fires of purgatory, their sins are purged and they are made ready for heaven.”
Indulgences remain a most important sacrament in the Catholic Church today. While only God can forgive sin according to Catholic theology, the church continues to teach that an indulgence can cancel the temporal penalty the sinner may incur.
Nowhere in the Scriptures do we find a teaching of, or a validation for, indulgences. Rather, the Bible teaches the avoidance of sin altogether, even its appearance (I Thessalonians 5:22). Believers are to confess their sins to God (I John 1:9) in order to have intimate fellowship with God restored. However, even though sin can be forgiven, its consequences may remain. Avoidance of sinful behavior on the part of the believer is the key, not the purchase of an indulgence.
The increasing sale of indulgences were to become the focal point of Ninety-Five Thesis or criticisms Martin Luther would write and post about the 16th century Romans Catholic Church. His thoughts would ignite the fires of Reformation.
The passionate pursuit for biblical truth spurring Martin Luther should also spur ourselves to ever remain committed to the Scriptures alone as our final and supreme authority.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 