2016-02-17 THRIVE
Kent Ross
THRIVE MINISTRIES
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February 17, 2016 – Wednesday Morning E-Devotional
"THRIVE With Him, Well, Maybe Without Him" - Kent Ross (Ohio)
Now by "Him," I certainly didn't mean the Lord, but let me explain. Preparing for our new series of lessons for our Adult Class, I selected the Book of James for our study for the next weeks.
In preparing to introduce the book itself, I was reminded of what Martin Luther thought of it as he led the way out of the Roman church and into the Protestant Reformation. After a visit to Wittenberg by Dominican John Tetzel, called by some "the seller of indulgences," Luther felt, as did many others, that such was a crude approach to "penances." It was to raise the funds needed for St. Peter's in Rome.
It was then that Luther posted his famous 95 Theses on the church doors there in Wittenberg. He based it on three principles: 1) sola Scriptura; and 2) sola Fide, couple with 3) sola Gratia. These three Latin phrases mean 1) the Scriptures alone, 2) Faith alone and 3) Grace alone.
Because Luther had to stand so strongly for these three, the theses found in James were repugnant to him. James was always insisting on "works" and didn't seem to value faith and grace. It was always works, works, works and so while Luther was stuck with James because of the principle of and high view of Scripture as being inspired by God, he ended up calling James an "epistle of straw."
He never did like it, and now sadly I must confess neither do. It is too powerfully practical and calls from me works that are to grow out of my faith. I'm reminded again of the "grace, faith and works" as also clearly contrasted for us in Ephesians 2:8-10, not just vv. 8,9. " 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [h]that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."
I'll write more on that tomorrow.