That Lunatic Luther

Listed below are direct quotes from the so-called "Father of the Reformation" -- Martin Luther. The quotes will be listed in two separate stages: Pre-Defection and Post-Defection -- with obvious comments of the most sinful nature!

Pre-Defection:

"If Christ had not entrusted all power to one man, the Church would not have been perfect because there would have been no order, and each one would have been able to say he was led by the Holy Spirit. This is what the heretics did, each one setting up his own principle. In this way as many Churches arose as there were heads. Christ therefore wills, in order that all may be assembled in one unity, that His power be exercised by one man to whom also He commits it. He has, however, made this Power so strong that He looses all the powers of Hell, without injury, against it. He says: 'The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it,' as though He said: 'They will fight against it but never overcome it,' so that in this way it is made manifest that this power is in reality from God and not from man. Wherefore whoever breaks away from this unity and order of the Power, let him not boast of great enlightenment and wonderful works, as our Picards and other heretics do, for much better is obedience than the victims of fools who know not 'what evil they do."

We see here, Luther proclaiming the clear Roman Catholic view of heresy. The same Roman Catholic church he would later rebel against.

"The principal sin of heretics is their pride. In their pride they insist on their own opinions. Frequently they serve God with great fervor, and they do not intend any evil; but they serve God according to their own will. Even when refuted, they are ashamed to retract their errors and to change their words. They think they are guided directly by God. The things that have been established for centuries and for which so many martyrs have suffered death, they begin to treat as doubtful questions. They interpret the Bible according to their own heads and their own particular views and carry their own opinions into it."

Tsk.. Tsk.. Tsk...

"From misplaced reliance on my righteousness, my heart became full of distrust, doubt, fear, hatred and blasphemy of God. I was such an enemy of Christ that whenever I saw an image or a picture of Him hanging on His cross, I loathed the site and I shut my eyes and felt that I would rather have seen the devil. My spirit was completely broken and I was always in a state of melancholy; for, do what I would, my 'righteousness' and my 'good works' brought me no help or consolation."

Is it not blatantly obvious from this particular quotation, that, Luther suffered from severe psychological problems? It would have been better had he resided in a mental institution than taken up the cause of Reformer.

"When I said my first Mass at Erfurt, I was all but dead, for I was without faith; it was unjust and too great forbearance in God that the earth did not at the time swallow up both myself and the bishop who ordained me."

It would appear, much to my dismay -- that God has stopped using to Earth to swallow up those who offended Him after the case of Korah.

"I call God and man to witness that I have never wished and do not now desire to touch the Roman Church or The Pope's sacred authority; and that I acknowledge most explicitly that this Church rules over all and that nothing in Heaven or the earth is superior to it, save only Jesus Christ Our Lord."

Post-Defection:

"Unfortunately, it is our daily experience that now under my Gospel the people entertain greater and bitterer hatred and envy and are worse with their avarice and money-grabbing than before under the Papacy."

"The people feel they are free from the bonds and fetters of the Pope, but now they want to get rid also of the Gospel and of all the laws of God."

"Townsfolk and peasants, men and women, children and servants, princes, magistrates and subjects, are all going to the devil."

And we thank you for guiding them there!

"Avarice, usury, debauchery, drunkenness, blasphemy, lying and cheating are far more prevalent now than they were under the Papacy. This state of morals brings general discredit on the Gospel and its preachers, as the people say, if this Gospel were true, the persons professing it would be more pious."

We thank you again!

"Reason speaks nothing but madness and foolishness."

Not so! Reason does, however, show nothing less than you being a madman and a fool!

"If the mistress of the house is unwilling, let the maid come."

A true glimpse into the psyche of the great Reformer.

"The Papists contend that faith which is informed by charity, justifies. On this point we must contend and oppose with all our strength; here we must yield not a nail's breadth to any; neither to the angels of Heaven, nor the gates of Hell, nor to St. Paul, nor to an hundred Emporers, nor to a thousand Popes, nor to the world; and this be my watchword and sign."

The irony of the "reformer" proclaiming, "Bible Alone", yet refusing to acknowledge St. Paul in regards to justification.

"No man on earth can properly distinguish between the Law and the Gospel. Even the man Jesus Christ, when in the Garden of Gethsemane, suffered from such ignorance."

And this man deigned to call himself a Christian?

"The moral duties of the Law were impossible of fulfillment and incited not love, but hatred of God."

One of the rare exceptions in which I actually agree with the madman.

"That shall serve you as a true rule, that wherever the Scriptures order and command to do good works, you must so understand it that the Scriptures forbid good works. If you should not sin against the Gospel, then be on your guard against good works; avoid them as one avoids a pest."

"Moses should be looked upon with suspicion as the worst heretic, as a damned and excommunicated person; yeah, worse than the Pope and the devil."

From one heretic to another -- one reformer to another.

"A pure heart enlightened by God must not dirty, soil itself with the Law. Thus let the Christian understand that it matters not whether he keeps it or not; yeah, he may do what is forbidden and leave undone what is commanded, for neither is a sin."

Does this not contradict Christ, who answers the question of, "What must I do to be saved?" with a simple, "Keep the commandments."?

"I confess that I am more negligent than I was under the Pope and there is now nowhere such an amount of earnestness under the Gospel, as was formerly seen among monks and priests. If God had not closed my eyes, and if I had forseen these scandals, I would never have begun to teach the Gospel."

There is almost always at least some grain of truth in madness.

"Be a sinner, and sin boldly, but believe more boldly still. We must sin as long as we are what we are. Sin shall not drag us away from Him [Christ] even should we commit fornication or muder, thousands and thousands of times a day."

Oh dear Martin -- if you were truly prophetic, you would have foreseen that I do, in fact, drag them away from your Lord.