Martin Luther's 95 Tweets

1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.
2. This word cannot be understood to mean sacramental penance, i.e., confession and satisfaction, which is administered by the priests.
3. Not inward repentance only; nay, there is no inward repentance which does not outwardly work divers mortifications of the flesh.
4. So penalty [of sin] continues while hatred of self continues; this is true inward repentance, & continues 'til our entrance into heaven.
5. Pope does not intend to remit, & can't remit penalties other than what he imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons.
6. Pope can't remit guilt unless it remitted by God. If right to grant remission refused, guilt remains unforgiven.
7. God remits guilt to no one whom He does not, at the same time, humble in all things and bring into subjection to His vicar, the priest.
8. The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to them, nothing should be imposed on the dying.
9. Thus Holy Spirit in the pope is kind to us, because in his decrees he always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity.
10. Ignorant and wicked are the doings of those priests who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penances for purgatory.
11. Changing of canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory is quite evidently one of the tares that were sown while the bishops slept.
12. In former times the canonical penalties were imposed not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition.
13. The dying are freed by death from all penalties; they are already dead to canonical rules, and have a right to be released from them.
14. The imperfect health [of soul], imperfect love, of dying necessarily brings with it great fear; & smaller the love, the greater is fear.
15. This fear & horror is sufficient of itself alone to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair.
16. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair, almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.
17. With souls in purgatory it seems necessary that horror should grow less and love increase.
18. It seems unproved, either by reason or Scripture, that they are outside the state of merit, that is to say, of increasing love.
19. &, it seems unproved that they, or at least that all of them, are certain of their own blessedness, though we may be quite certain.
20. Thus by "full remission of all penalties" the pope means not actually "of all," but only of those imposed by himself.
21. Thus those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, & saved;
22. Whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to the canons, they would have had to pay in this life.
23. If possible to grant to any 1 the remission of all penalties whatsoever, certainly remission can be granted only to the most perfect.
24. Thus it must needs be that most people are deceived by that indiscriminate and highsounding promise of release from penalty.
25. The pope's power over purgatory, is just like power which any bishop or curate has, in a special way, within his own diocese or parish.
26. The pope does well when he grants remission to souls in purgatory, not by power of the keys which he doesn't have, but by intercession.
27. They preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory].
28. It is certain that when $0.01 put in the money-box, avarice increases, but result of intercession of Church is in power of God alone.
29. Who knows whether all the souls in purgatory wish to be bought out of it, as in the legend of Sts. Severinus and Paschal.
30. No one is sure that his own contrition is sincere; much less that he has attained full remission.
31. Rare as is the man that is truly penitent, so rare is also the man who truly buys indulgences, i.e., such men are most rare.
32. They will be condemned eternally, together with their teachers, who believe selves sure of their salvation for having letters of pardon.
33. Men must be on their guard against those who say that pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to Him;
34. For these "graces of pardon" concern only the penalties of sacramental satisfaction, and these are appointed by man.
35. They preach not Christ's doctrine who teach contrition unnecessary 4 those intending to buy souls from purgatory, buying confessionalia.
36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon.
37. Every true Christian, living or dead, has part in all blessings of Christ and Church; & this granted by God, without letters of pardon.
38. Nevertheless, remission and participation [Church blessings] which are granted by pope are not despised, 4 they are divine remission.
39. Most difficult, even for keenest theologians, at one & same time to commend to people the abundance of pardons & need 4 true contrition.
40. True contrition seeks and loves penalties, but liberal pardons only relax penalties and cause them to be hated, or furnish an occasion.
41. Apostolic pardons are to be preached with caution, lest the people may falsely think them preferable to other good works of love.
42. Christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend the buying of pardons to be compared in any way to works of mercy.
43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons;
44. Because love grows by works of love, and man becomes better; but by pardons man does not grow better, only more free from penalty.
45. Teach Christians that he who sees & passes a man in need, & gives $ for pardons, purchases not pope's indulgences but God's indignation.
46. Teach Christians that unless they have more than needed, should keep what is needed by their families, & never to squander on pardons.
47. Christians are to be taught that the buying of pardons is a matter of free will, and not of commandment.
48. Teach Christians that pope, in granting pardons, needs, & thus desires, their devout prayer for him more than the money they bring.
49. Teach Christians that pope's pardons are useful, if not putting their trust in them; but harmful, if through them fear of God is lost.
50. Teach Christians that if pope knew the exactions of the pardon-preachers, he would rather that St. Peter's church should go to ashes.
51. Teach Christians that it would be pope's wish/duty to give his own money to those cajoled for $pardons, even if St. Peter's were sold.
52. Assurance of salvation by letters of pardon is vain, even though pope himself, were to stake his soul upon it.
53. They are enemies of Christ and of pope, who bid the Word of God be altogether silent so pardons may be preached.
54. Injury is done the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or a longer time is spent on pardons than on this Word.
55. Pope's intent: if pardons celebrated w/ 1 bell/procession/ceremony, then Gospel must be preached w/ 100 bells/processions/ceremonies.
56. The "treasures of the Church," out of which the pope grants indulgences, are not sufficiently named or known among the people of Christ.
57. That they are not temporal treasures is obvious, for many vendors do not pour out such treasures so easily, but only gather them.
58. Nor are they merits of Christ & Saints, for without pope, these always work grace for inner man, & cross, death, & hell for outward man.
59. St. Lawrence said that the treasures of the Church were Church's poor, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own time.
60. Without rashness we say that the keys of the Church, given by Christ's merit, are that treasure;
61. For it is clear that for the remission of penalties and of reserved cases, the power of the pope is of itself sufficient.
62. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God.
63. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last.
64. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.
65. Therefore the treasures of the Gospel are nets with which they formerly were wont to fish for men of riches.
66. The treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they now fish for the riches of men.
67. The indulgences which the preachers cry as the "greatest graces" are known to be truly such, in so far as they promote gain.
68. Yet they are in truth the very smallest graces compared with the grace of God and the piety of the Cross.
69. Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of apostolic pardons, with all reverence.
70. But still more are they bound to strain all their eyes & ears, lest these men preach their own dreams instead of commission of pope.
71. He who speaks against the truth of apostolic pardons, let him be anathema and accursed
72. But he who guards against the lust and license of the pardon-preachers, let him be blessed!
73. The pope justly thunders against those who, by any art, contrive the injury of the traffic in pardons.
74. But much more does he intend to thunder against those who use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love and truth.
75. To think papal pardons so great they could absolve men even if had committed impossible sins & violated the Mother of God - madness!
76. We say, on the contrary, that the papal pardons are not able to remove the very least of venial sins, so far as its guilt is concerned.
77. It is said: even St. Peter, if now Pope, could not bestow greater graces; this is blasphemy against St. Peter and against the pope.
78. On the contrary, even present pope, & any pope ever, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit Gospel/powers/healing, etc 1 Cor 12.
79. To say that cross, emblazoned with papal arms, which is set up [by indulgences-preachers], is equal to Cross of Christ, is blasphemy.
80. The bishops, curates and theologians who allow such talk to be spread among the people, will have an account to render.
81. Unbridled preaching of pardons makes it hard, even for scholars, to rescue reverence due to pope from slander, or even from ?s of laity.
82. To wit: Why does not the pope empty purgatory, if he redeems all souls for the sake of mere money with which to build a Church?
83. Again: Why continue mortuary & anniversary masses for dead, & why no return/withdrawal of endowments, if wrong to pray for redeemed?
84. Again: Why let impious/enemies buy good souls out of purgatory, but won't free it for pure love's sake?
85. Again: Why are disused/dead penitential canons now satisfied by the granting of indulgences, as if still alive and in force?
86. Again: Why doesn't 1%er pope build just this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of poor believers?
87. Again: What does pope grant to those who, by perfect contrition, have a right to full remission and participation?
88. Again: What greater blessing could come to Church than if pope were to just bestow on all believers these remissions and participations?
89. Since pope's pardons seek salvation of souls rather than $, why suspend indulgences/pardons granted before, when those have = efficacy?
90. To repress arguments/scruples of laity by force, & not give reasons, is exposing Church & pope to ridicule, & makes Christians unhappy.
91. If, therefore, pardons were preached according to spirit & mind of pope, all doubts would readily resolve; nay, they would not exist.
92. Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Peace, peace," and there is no peace!
93. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Cross, cross," and there is no cross!
94. Christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hell;
95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace.

95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace.

That 95th tweet must really be a bone in the throat to some religionists. It sounds to me like Luther had assurance of salvation. A certain prominent religious group, which will remain unnamed, even though we know who they are, doesn’t have any assurance of salvation. Oh well. That’s on them. It is readily available to us, as God’s special gift. 😀🇵🇭😂
Prsise God for brother Luther. It’s too bad he didn’t have Twitter and Facebook, he could have reached millions of false religionists, with the truth.

That 95th tweet must really be a bone in the throat to some religionists. It sounds to me like Luther had assurance of salvation.

Of COURSE!!!

He was CATHOLIC!!!

"One indeed is the universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved, in which the priest himself is the sacrifice, Jesus Christ, whose body and blood are truly contained in the sacrament of the altar under the species of bread and wine; the bread (changed) into His body by the divine power of transubstantiation, and the wine into the blood, so that to accomplish the mystery of unity we ourselves receive from His (nature) what He Himself received from ours."

--Pope Innocent III and Lateran Council IV (A.D. 1215)

Tweets indeed!

Bypassing the 'official' news channel(s) and going directly to all who could read what was on the door!

Luther; you magnificent heretic!!

I read your book!

You do realize that Christ’s church _isn’t_ Pope XYZ the Nth’s church, right? that His own are drawn from wherever they are, which isn’t necessarily inclusive nor exclusive of what one particular set of traditions d’jour dictates?

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