4 Books That Made a Priest Leave the Church

CCC Discover ^ | May 24, 2017 | Nicholas Davis

[Gamecock]

The year 2017 is the year of Martin Luther—or at least it should be. Nearly 500 years ago on October 31, 1517, Luther nailed (or “mailed,” for some historians debate this point) his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle Church.

Even so, Luther didn’t become a full-fledged protestor of the church in that single moment. It took him about eight years (1513-1521) to challenge and hammer out a more robust understanding of the gospel.

Have you ever wondered what Martin Luther was reading during this crucial time in his life? Maybe I’m just a nerd, but I thought at least someone else might be interested in what Luther was reading during his slow, but steady, transition out of the medieval church and into the world of reformation.

Remember, Luther’s goal wasn’t to invent or start an entirely new church. His goal was to reform the church and call her to repentance and faith in the abiding Word of God.

Here are four books Martin Luther read that made him question everything:

1. The Psalms Luther spent time studying and lecturing through the Psalms in the Bible. He began to realize that the Bible teaches we are not generally sinful, we are totally sinful. Here, Luther had the beginnings of what theologians later would refer to as “total depravity,” meaning that we are sinful in our thoughts, words, and deeds.

2. Romans After that, Luther lectured through Paul’s letter to the Romans. He came across Romans 1:17, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” The last part of this verse is a direct quotation from Habakkuk 2:4.

Luther began to see something that he never saw before. He began to see the doctrine of imputation—that we are declared right before God not by our own righteousness, but by the righteousness of another. He began to understand that the righteousness of God that was such a terror to him as a priest (because it told him that he was unholy and unworthy), was actually the righteousness from God that told him he was holy and worthy. God gives this right standing by faith alone. It is a righteousness that is received as a gift and not earned.

3. Galatians It wasn’t until Luther started lecturing through Galatians that he began to realize that faith does not justify us before God. Faith is merely an instrument that God uses. Faith is a tool by which we embrace Jesus Christ as he is offered to us in the gospel.

Faith is, as John Murry once said, “extrospective.” It looks outward—not inward—to embrace the God who gives himself. In other words, faith is only an empty hand. It justifies because it grabs hold of the Jesus who justifies (Rom. 3:26).

4. Hebrews The last book that turned a medieval priest into a true Reformer was the letter to the Hebrews. Luther began to embrace an entirely different understanding of how the Old and New Testaments relate to one another. He realized that the law is not simply the Old Testament and the gospel is the New Testament, but that the gospel of God can be seen as preached throughout both Old and New Testaments.

The same Jesus of the same gospel was offered freely to both Jew and Gentile alike, throughout the whole Bible. Sure, there was a greater and fuller proclamation of that message, such that it went out to the whole world instead of only Israel and their close neighbors—but the gospel was preached nonetheless!

In short, reading and studying the Bible is what ultimately made Martin Luther “protest” the medieval church. Luther was convinced that the Bible was worth listening to. So this year we celebrate the anniversary of a “recovery of the bright light of the gospel.” To God alone be all the glory (Soli Deo Gloria).

[boatbums]

So, where is the thread or post completely demolishing the arguments against your leader, Michael Rood? Will you ever get around to opening a thread where you can prove this? Be sure and ping me when you do. Thanks.

[amihow]

What do when 2 sincere persons disagree about clear meaning of a Scripture?

[af_vet_1981]

What do when 2 sincere persons disagree about clear meaning of a Scripture?

Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, "Don't do it!"
He said, "Nobody loves me."
I said, "God loves you. Do you believe in God?"
He said, "Yes."
I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?"
He said, "A Christian."
I said, "Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?"
He said, "Protestant."
I said, "Me, too! What franchise?"
He said, "Baptist."
I said, "Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Baptist."
I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist."
I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region."
I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, 
or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912."
I said, "Die, heretic!" And I pushed him over.

[af_vet_1981]

What do when 2 sincere persons disagree about clear meaning of a Scripture?

Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, "Don't do it!"
He said, "Nobody loves me."
I said, "God loves you. Do you believe in God?"
He said, "Yes."
I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?"
He said, "A Christian."
I said, "Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?"
He said, "Protestant."
I said, "Me, too! What franchise?"
He said, "Baptist."
I said, "Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Baptist."
I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist."
I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region."
I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, 
or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912."
I said, "Die, heretic!" And I pushed him over.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“It is the work of Yehova’s nicolaitan enemies that he cautioned about in the Revelation.”

Should be easy to prove then... but you can’t.

“thus are free from the cultic paralysis that your posting demonstrates in this thread.”

Yet another personal attack in violation of the rules.

[boatbums]

I don’t recall a thread being posted for along time about the teachings of Michael Rood, have you? In fact, the only thing I have seen that bears any resemblance to it have been links to videos that you have to watch in order to figure out what it is they teach and believe and you have to BUY them first. I haven’t found even a statement of faith on their website - unlike most all Christian denominations who freely provide such information online. Have you been able to find anything? A lot of claims and condemnations but no real facts to back it up. Must be frustrating for Roodites, right?

Over three years ago some threads were posted here but they seldom gave more than a paragraph of text and the links all went to YouTube videos. Kind of hard to take someone serious when they cannot even defend their beliefs without making personal unfounded attacks simply because someone disagrees with them or posts other people’s work that expose the errors of a cult.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“A lot of claims and condemnations but no real facts to back it up. Must be frustrating for Roodites, right?”

As long as they are indoctrinated to believe “they alone have the truth” they don’t care about too many specifics.

All cults are this way - look at The Way, where Rood was a leader (as described by those who were also in the cult). Look at mormons - fellow cultists.

Rood doesn’t matter in one sense - he will amount to little as conmen before him.

He spends his time teaching heresy and begging for money from a very small group - and making unfounded claims on FR.

[amihow]

That is LOL to max. Why do people not see that?

[af_vet_1981]

Why do people not see that?

Why do people not see that in the Parable of the Servants and the Talents the Lord "called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods." When the Lord returned, He did not say to the "unprofitable servant" that He never knew him. He took away that which He had given to him, which was of the same quality that He had give to the other servants, and cast that servant into outer darkness.

Was the "talent" mercy ?

[editor-surveyor]

.
Nonsense in both points.

The attack was on one of Yehova’s most effective servants, not on any FReeper, and it had to be refuted.

Christianity is the framework of nicolaitanism with its contra-biblical array of human hierarchy.’

“Wherever two or more are gathered in my name” is Yeshua’s definition of a proper assembly. It has no head or officers.

Save your bitter assault for the nicolaitans that seek to destroy the word.
.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Sure e-s!

[editor-surveyor]

.
>> “As long as they are indoctrinated to believe they alone have the truth” <<

Yes, that is the anti-scriptural cult of the Mystery of Iniquity that Paul identified by the doctrines of so-called Christianity.

Amusing that you seek to belittle the most spiritually gifted following of the scriptures that has been responsible for locating and identifying the most significant icons of the faith over the past two decades: Noah’s Ark, the true location of Mt. Sinai, and the Ark of the Covenant, all with the visible assistance of the Holy Spirit.

I’d laugh were your utterances so pathetic.

[editor-surveyor]

.
>> “As long as they are indoctrinated to believe they alone have the truth” <<

Yes, that is the anti-scriptural cult of the Mystery of Iniquity that Paul identified by the doctrines of so-called Christianity.

Amusing that you seek to belittle the most spiritually gifted following of the scriptures that has been responsible for locating and identifying the most significant icons of the faith over the past two decades: Noah’s Ark, the true location of Mt. Sinai, and the Ark of the Covenant, all with the visible assistance of the Holy Spirit.

I’d laugh were your utterances not so pathetic.

[editor-surveyor]

.
Join hands and pray.
.

[editor-surveyor]

.
Not for long.
.

[editor-surveyor]

.
The proof is in the fruit of the ministry.

You won’t find it there under your mushroom cap.
.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Sure e-s. 😂

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Sure e-s. 😂

[boatbums]

So, where is the thread or post completely demolishing the arguments against your leader, Michael Rood? Will you ever get around to opening a thread where you can prove this? Be sure and ping me when you do. Thanks.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

So, where is the thread or post completely demolishing the arguments against your leader, Michael Rood? Will you ever get around to opening a thread where you can prove this? Be sure and ping me when you do. Thanks.

I've not seen a thread like this either...

Nor any evidence - ever.

I would like to be pinged too, so I can read and participate.