Heretic - a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church (dictionary.com)
Following the Leipzig Debate with Eck and the acceleration of Luther's forthrightness against the teachings of the Catholic Church in his published booklet titled, "The Freedom of a Christian Man", Martin was making more and more powerful enemies and far fewer friends.
Luther's continued study of Scripture has now convinced him of the false premises of the monastic life that had been promoted by the Church. He recognized that whatever life a man has been given by God to live is the setting in which that man ought to honor God. In other words, everything is the Lord's and He deserves to be acknowledged and exalted in it. The Apostle Paul says it in this way, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:16-17)
What a relief that teaching must have been! And empowering to the hearer! Imagine living a life, like Luther's father did, working a common job and earning a common living and realizing no connection or relationship between your life and the life of your Creator. What a purposeless existence! If that be the case, the only possible successes to achieve or victories to be won could be measured only by material means. But, if Luther's teaching is true, any man, not restricted to popes, priests or monks, can live a life that can be full and pleasing to his Creator. A life with great value due to, not the man's own achievements, but due to the intrinsic value placed upon him by the One who made him!
All this and everything that has come before has made Luther an enemy of the Church. As a matter of fact, Luther, the nobody from Eisleben, the son of the copper miner, was now the main target of the pope himself. In mid-1520, Pope Leo X issued a papal bull (an official document) declaring Martin Luther a heretic and demanding that he publicly recant his doctrinal positions that contradict the teachings of the church or face the consequences.
How do you think that went? We'll talk about that next week. In the meantime, I encourage you to make it a point to praise God for the life that He has granted you. Commit to honor Him in all that you do, even if it seems insignificant in the grand scheme of things. And always remember this, one day you will stand in front of the King of kings and give an accounting to Him for the things done in the body. And in that moment, nothing will matter to you except what He thinks of you and what He says about you.
Folks, this is sobering because we are insufferable sinners. But is, at the same time, thrilling because He is an all-sufficient Savior!
"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11:33-36)
Pastor Jeremy
