Did you know that Luther rejected Revelation?

Yes, many of us are aware that Luther had questions about several books in the New Testament. This should not be troubling since the Reformation was a time for examination and questioning of all that had been handed down from the Roman Catholic church. However, in the end the Reformers rejected none of the New Testament books and Luther himself taught from from the book of Revelation.

 

The problem was that the "church" had gotten away from the message of grace and was deep into people being able to save themselves based on their works.

Some of the reformers were so disturbed by this that they went off the deep end the other way instead of finding the balance in the Scriptures.

It was either Luther or Calvin, possibly both, that really struggled, like many of the reformers and even non-reformers alike today, with the book of James. They totally missed the mark as most do today with how to deal with James.

 

xdisciplex -- I'm new, but I've read several of your posts and it appears to me that you have serious concerns about salvation. It also appears from your writings that you are not comfortable accepting the Bible as a source of spiritual growth. Many of your posts allude to rumors or writers that do not adhere to Biblical doctrine.

The concerns expressed relate to how to be saved, the assurances of salvation and the relationship of good works.

Would you agree, or not, with these assumptions of mine?

 

I agree :thumbs: Christians rarely admit the Bible has constant condradictions, most just get used to double talking. This meaning saying one thing AND the exact opposite, sometimes even in the same sentence. Keep in mind, this is my interpretation only.
It's hard for non-christians to understand this language since secular world doesn't usually speak this way. It's either one way or the other (The light is either blue or green).
The only way to understand is to read the Bible for yourself and pray it will be revealed it to you. I believe in doing this it lessens the struggle, or it should. Sometimes Satan can be poweful. It's sometimes hard to have patience but the Lord is with you at all times. He doesn't reveal everything to us, we will not know it all. Bible studies and regular church attendance help

 

And, not so much from the viewpoint of a Christian?

 

No Luther was not right in his dislike for the book of James. And no he was not right in saying that it didn't belong in Scripture. I think that was his statement.

Narrow-minded might be a good way to put it. Luther had an agenda and he wanted to make sure that agenda got pushed through and it did. Fortunately in some places and not so fortunately in others.

Like I said he went to the extreme on the other end of what he saw as a problem instead of finding the "True" answer.

He's not any different than a number of people today. They have an agenda and they go to the Bible to "prove" their agenda to be true. That's why we have so many different beliefs is that people have agendas other than Truth seeking.

 

Kris what do you mean by this statement?

 

My Dad taught me never to base a doctorine off one scripture. He insisted using at least 3 passages before you begin to make a conclusion.

Remember, the Bible was written by many men all divinely inspired. Just as we on this board are often mis-understood while saying the same thing, just differently so are the Bible writers sying similar things and mis-understood.

 

Happens on here all the time. :Fish:

 

The context of James again is not eternal salvation. That's why people struggle so much with James. They try to make it fit into eternal salvation. It's like plugging a round peg into a square hole. It will fit, but you will tear up both the peg and the hole by the cramming.

And so it is with salvation by grace alone apart from works and salvation with works in James. They are two separate messages (apples and oranges) and people are trying to make them applanges, thereby tearing up both messages in the process.

 

Spiritual salvation is by "believe" and it's secure. You cannot lose it.

The book of James is the book for the salvation of the soul, which is by works, and you can forfeit that, although you are still saved.