Martin Luther's 95 Theses Revisited

Disputation on the Keys of Peter and Right Use of Scripture.

Adaptation of Martin Luther (1517)

Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be open to discussion before the Councils of Faith, adapted from 95 Theses proposed by the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary of Wittenberg, 1517.

In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

1. In his Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences, Martin Luther (1517) wrote, “Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite (repent; do penance), willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.”

2. For when the soul repents and has been cleansed by faith and committed to love God, it would have all things to be cleansed in like manner so that all things might unite with it in love and praise of God

3. Through the centuries some have suggested ecclesiastic pardons or rituals instead of repentance. Such lay at the heart of Luther’s dispute with Rome. Luther pointed out the unorthodox use of Peter’s Keys to the Kingdom—particularly the pope’s use of his spiritual position to sell pardons in order to raise funds to build St. Peters.

4. Christ demonstrated use of the Keys of the Kingdom before his disciples; modeling that the Spirit of the Law trumps the Letter of the Law. In principle, “The Sabbath is made for people, not people for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27). Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians describes how he applied the keys: To become all things to all people so that some might come to Christ (1 Cor. 9:22).

5. Therefore, all shepherds (including the pope) define orthodoxy [right thinking] and orthopraxy [right practice] for their faithful followers. Thus, through the centuries wise shepherds have sought godly council from elders, fellow shepherds, and the Scripture.

6. The keys given to Peter by Christ (Matt. 16:19) were to encourage and strengthen His fledgling church in Jerusalem; Christ asked Peter to feed his sheep; Peter’s responsibility was to lead the church to fulfill the Great Commission and to keep the Bride of Christ pure in preparation for Christ’s return.

7. The Keys of the Kingdom were exercised by Christ to adapt the Gospel to culture. Peter exercised the keys similarly when he and the Jerusalem Council dismissed Jewish tradition in order to extend the Gospel to Gentiles; Paul exercised the keys when he admonished the Christians in Corinth to refrain from eating meat sacrificed to idols.

8. Shepherds use their keys whenever they forbid, permit, admonish, or encourage the flock in order that the Living Word may dwell richly in their community.

9. The epistles of the New Testament are in great part the exercise of the Keys of the Kingdom by shepherds caring for flocks from Jerusalem to Rome.

10. All shepherds since Peter have exercised their keys among their flocks, preaching a culturally sensitized message of repentance and reconciliation; leading their flocks to be salt and light in their communities.

11. Those are none Christian nor shepherds who build walls around the Gospel of Christ; who condition remission of sin upon anything other than repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

12. Blessed is the shepherd who relies upon the Holy Spirit and binds what should be bound and looses what should be loosed for the good of the Gospel of Christ.

13. We see the wise use of the keys when tradition and culture are not made hindrances to repentance and acceptance of Christ’s grace.

14. A true shepherd justly thunders against those who, by any art, contrive and injure the Gospel in what they allow or pardon in their flocks.

15. But much more should a shepherd intend to thunder against those who use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love and truth.

16. To think the apostolic pardons so great that they could absolve a man even if he had committed an impossible sin and blasphemed the Holy Spirit—this is madness.

17. We say, on the contrary, that pastoral pardons are not able to remit the very least of sins that are not remitted by faithful repentance in Christ.

18. It is said that even Peter, if he were now our shepherd, could not bestow greater grace than the lowliest shepherd of the smallest flock.

19. We say, on the contrary, that even the present pope, and any pastor at all, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit, the Gospel, powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written in 1 Corinthians 12.

20. Those who wield the Keys of Peter [spiritual authority] as overseers or shepherds face the greater judgment from God for those under their care.

21. When ignorant sheep follow a false shepherd; damnation follows close behind—and greater damnation falls to the shepherd. Sheep have need of good shepherds; their impulse is self-preservation, but through following they learn to love and trust none but the shepherd.

22. Honor God’s under-shepherds as they honor the Christ; flee shepherds who follow not the example of Christ Jesus or dishonor the Scriptures.

23. If one will allow, the Scriptures are the shepherd’s staff. Scripture promises harm to those who plot evil, but provides guidance and safety to the sheep according to the will of the shepherd. The sheep love a good shepherd and respect the shepherd’s staff.

24. Empty and false are all sacraments, ordinances, and acts that do not find their genesis in the Holy Spirit and are founded upon faith in Jesus Christ; according to one’s faith, so it shall be.

25. Therefore, forgiveness or blessings conferred by shepherds find efficacy not in the sacrament or act, but in faith in Christ’s words.

26. Individually and corporately, the just shall live by faith. Sin is only remitted by the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

27. The mission of the Church, the Bride of Christ, is to reconcile the world to God the Father through repentance and proclamation of the Gospel; bound in spiritual matrimony by the Holy Spirit to Christ Jesus we become adopted heirs of the Father and join heirs with our Savior and Bridegroom, Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:19).

28. Perfection in the pastor, just as in the believer, comes through repentance, confession, humility, and submission to Jesus Christ.

29. Conviction is the blessing of God’s judgment upon us and comes from the Holy Spirit in harmony with the Precepts of Scripture; the intent of conviction is remorse, confession, and loving commitment to Jesus Christ.

30. Guilt, a penalty of sin and dart of Satan, is hatred of self and enmity with God; therefore, the penalty of sin continues so long as hatred of self continues.

31. Neglect of confession continues the penalty of guilt. Shepherds, lead your flock in repentance, confession, and renewal. Neglect of guilt results in all manner of sorrow and separation from peace.

32. God remits guilt to no one whom He does not, at the same time, humble in all things and brings into subjection to the Way of Jesus Christ.

33. To that end our Rabbi and Master Jesus Christ taught his followers—declaring the Kingdom of God, remission of sin, and justification by faith; summing the Scripture in two commands; Love God with all one’s being and one’s neighbors as one’s self.

34. It pleased God that from Pentecost until the present day that the Church should be under the leadership and authority of the Holy Spirit who provided shepherds—beginning with the Apostles, who bore witness of Christ and continuing today with shepherds who continue to bear witness of Christ.

35. Christ’s Disciples and their disciples preserved the Church through testimony, signs and wonders, visitations, and letters. The expanding Church collected these testimonies and letters into the New Testament.

36. Prior to the canonization of the New Testament, worthy witnesses [affirmed by historic record and Martin Luther] record catechisms and creeds attributed to the Apostles. In exercise of their keys many shepherds have encouraged new believers to affirm:

• I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth;

• I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

• I believe in the Holy Spirit our Comforter; one holy, reconciled catholic [universal] church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.

 37. Prior to the canonization of the New Testament, many, if not all, shepherds encouraged their flocks to practice sacraments or ordinances, the most common of which are

• Baptism

• Confirmation/Catechism

• Holy Communion/Lord’s Supper

• Repentance/Confession

• Anointing the ill

• Ordination/Pastoral Confirmation

• Matrimony

38. Prior to the canonization of the New Testament shepherds admonished new converts to master the meaning of sacraments or ordinances of the church and commit creeds and Scripture to memory so they might become good and strong Christians:

• Lord’s Prayer

• Apostle’s Creed (above)

• Sinner’s prayer of repentance

• Ten Commandments

• Golden Rule

39. During the pre-canon era the various narratives and letters written by the Apostles and their disciples were brought together into what eventually became the New Testament; these precious narratives and letters were first collected and carefully preserved by pastors of the first churches; today they have been printed and reproduced in various editions and languages and are held in the public domain.

40. According to the apostolic tradition [Apostles and reliable witnesses] the New Testament Canon is inspired by the Holy Spirit and is profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training with the intent of equipping all believers for every good work [2 Tim. 3:16-17].

41. The authority of the printed text derives its authority and mission from the Living Word, Jesus Christ; thus, the right use of Scripture leads to imitation of Christ.

42. The Scriptures state Jesus is the Way; therefore, it behooves all Christians to live in this Way—the way Christ lived.

43. The most succinct description of Christian living apart from the living example of Christ is the Sermon on the Mount; the writings of the Apostles (often demonstrating the use of the keys) were inspired and written to encourage and strengthen the Church;

44. God forbid that the admonishments of the keys should ever supplant or surpass the teachings of our Master and Teacher, Jesus Christ.

45. The New Testament describes one, united catholic [universal] church with many congregations and many faithful shepherds as the Bride of Christ; wherefore let us dwell in unity and set aside any admonishments of the keys that might divide us or keep us from joining together in the ministry of reconciliation given us.

46. Furthermore, as Christ so loved the world and gave Himself for it, so should the Church live. A worthy church is a blessing to its community and receives blessings from the lips of its neighbors.

47. The Scripture or keys cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God's remission; though, to be sure, the Scripture speaks of God’s offer to grant remission in keeping with His promises. If the Scripture’s or shepherds message of God’s power to grant remission were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven.

48. The Scripture, through precept, leads us conviction and repentance; and, through its promises, hope.

49. Therefore the Holy Spirit through Scripture is kind to us, because in it decrees the Good News that whosoever will, may come [to God through Christ].

50. The use of Scriptures or keys to prescribe burdens on the lost beyond repentance is contrary to the will of God and model of Christ.

51. Woes to those who use Scripture or the keys to exclude, excommunicate, or manufacture burdens for those whom Christ died to set free.

52. The deliverance of the repentant thief on the cross stands as a holy example of grace given freely without condition and Christ’s perfect use of the keys to the kingdom.

53. Ignorant and wicked are those who, especially in the case of the dying, fail to offer complete forgiveness for those who repent and trust in Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

54. This changing of the precepts and promises of Christ to a burdensome religion is quite evidently one of the tares that were sown while the elders slept.

55. Concerning Popes, bishops, priests, and pastors, it seems unproved by reason or Scripture that they, or at least that all of them, are certain or assured of their own blessedness or authority; yet much grace and peace are found prayerfully submitting to and serving the authorities God has established.

56. The intent of Scripture is to encourage, strengthen, and unify the Bride of Christ in every good work.

57. A good shepherd does not devise impositions to impose on the flock nor withhold grace from the repentant.

58. Therefore those preachers who devise burdens and build walls around the Gospel of Christ indulge themselves to their own undoing; good Christians will flee such.

59. If it were at all possible for a shepherd to grant to any one the remission of all penalties whatsoever, it is certain that this remission could be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to the very fewest.

60. It must needs be, therefore, that the greater part of the people are deceived who believe in the indiscriminate and high-sounding promises of release from poverty, illness, or penalties of unrepentant sinners.

61. The power which the pope has, in a general way, over forgiveness and the church’s conduct in the global community, is just like the power which any bishop, pastor, or shepherd has in their community, dioceses, parish, or congregation.

62. Some preachers say that so soon as the donation arrives, deliverance is assured.

63. It is certain that when the donation enters the coffers, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the Church is in the power of God alone.

64. They will be condemned eternally, together with their teachers, who believe themselves sure of their salvation because they have letters or temporal promises of pardon from dubious shepherds.

65. We must be on our guard against those who say that good works result in pardon; reconciliation comes through faith in Jesus Christ;

66. Graces found in such works concern only the accomplishment of temporal satisfaction and man appoints these graces.

67. They preach no Christian doctrine who teach that contrition is not necessary in those who do good works or attempt to purchase forgiveness through donations and gifts.

68. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt based upon the promises of Jesus Christ and the witness of the Scripture.

69. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has part in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted him by God.

70. Nevertheless, the blessings of the church, which are granted by the shepherds, are in no way to be despised, for they are divine declarations from those who are true representatives of Christ.

71. It is most difficult, even for the very keenest theologians, at one and the same time to commend to the people the abundance of pardons proffered by the shepherd’s keys and the need of true contrition.

72. True contrition seeks and loves penalties, but liberal pardons only relax penalties and cause them to be hated, or at least, furnish an occasion for hating them.

73. Apostolic pardons granted by the keys are to be preached with caution, lest the people may falsely think them preferable to other good works of love and contrition.

74. Christians are to be taught that no true shepherd intends the indulgence of pardons to be compared in any way to works of mercy.

75. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than enriching shepherd or church.

76. Acts of contrition and restitution because love, and one becomes better; but by free pardons one does not grow better, only more free to repeat offenses.

77. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives his money for shepherd or church, purchases not the indulgences of the shepherd, but the indignation of God.

78. Christians are to be taught that unless they have more than they need, they are bound to keep back what is necessary for their own families, and by no means to disregard those in need.

79. Christians are to be taught that donating to a sanctuary or shepherd is a matter of free will and charity, and not of commandment.

80. Christians are to be taught that their shepherds need their devout prayer and service more than the money they bring.

81. Christians are to be taught that pastor’s promises of forgiveness are useful, if they do not put their trust in them; but altogether harmful, if through them they lose their fear of God.

82. Christians are to be taught that a good shepherd would rather the sanctuary go to ashes, than that it should be built up while tearing down his sheep.

83. Christians are to be taught that it would be the good shepherd's wish, as it is his duty, to give of his own money to very many of those from whom certain hawkers of buildings and extravagant programs cajole money, even though the church of St. Peter might have to be sold.

84. The assurance of salvation by donation is vain, even though the commissary, nay, even though the pope himself, were to stake his soul upon it.

85. They are enemies of Christ and of his shepherds, who bid the Word of God [Scripture] be altogether silenced in church, in order that buildings and programs may be increased.

86. Injury is done the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or a longer time is spent on anything other than that which encourages and strengthens the soul.

87. It must be the intention of every good shepherd that if gifts of money, which are a very small thing, are celebrated with one bell, with single processions and ceremonies, then the Gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.

88. The "Treasures of the Church" are its traditions and saints; those who merit our respect and honor for their attention to the Holy Spirit and devotion to Christ. A prayerful consideration of these always works joy and grace for the inner man, and the cross, death, and hell for the outward man.

89. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God.

90. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last.

91. Yet they are in truth the very smallest graces compared with the grace of God and the piety of the Cross.

92. But still more are we bound to strain all our eyes and attend with all our ears, lest these men preach their own dreams instead of the Gospel of Christ.

93. If, therefore, pardons were preached according to the spirit and mind of a shepherd, all these doubts would be readily resolved; nay, they would not exist.

94. Christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hell;

95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace.
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Adapted from Lutheran Missouri Synod. (2009). The confessions of Luther. Retrieved from the Internet on March 2, 2009 at http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/ LCMS/smallcatechism.pdf.

Rebellion is Afoot

No, it isn’t.

Yes, rebellion is always afoot. I realized it only recently.

Nonsense. There’s nothing to worry about. Perhaps we commit little indiscretions, but no great rebellion. When we make mistakes, we repent and say we’re sorry. We mean well.

No, the first real sign of rebellion is its denial.

No, the first sign of rebellion is disobedience. We don’t aim to disobey and we are all on board for a good, clean life. We want what is good—we strive for goodness.

You are partially right, but we strive for our version of goodness. We typically submit only to that with which we agree. I’ve found that even in agreeing with God, the temptation to rebel while agreeing is strong. How obedient are we, really? Even in goodness we demand things on our own terms. In a personal, loving relationship, we place another’s wants above our own.

You are crazy—we’re not perfect. We’ve decided God is good, life is hard, but in the end He prevails. We have read it in the Bible and confess it will be so. We have faith in our belief.

We live on a rebel planet. The principals here are rebellious, subtle spirits. What if we’re full of our own wisdom and are sleeping with the enemy. We are surrounded by rebellion. Perhaps we yet rebel. Perhaps we love God in our own image.

You are truly daft. You see evil everywhere. I confess, you are overly excited and negative. In fact, you are approaching neurotic paranoia.

Maybe, but even in our best moments we find ourselves tasting good and evil. Remember in church yesterday, you said you could have done the sermon much better than the pastor.

Well, admit it, I could have done better. You know me. It was as if the sermon came from Newsweek instead of the Bible. Pithy clichés are no substitute for in depth Bible study.

You could preach, but you aren’t the preacher, or at least you’ve never submitted to the call to preach. Furthermore, don’t you constantly complain about church—the creeds, the responses, the liturgy, hymns, the sermons, and everything else? You don’t even like to recite the Lord’s Prayer and are bothered by how sacraments or ordinances are conducted!

Why repeat something another has said or written? Spirituality—especially prayer—must be personal. Shouldn’t our faith be expressed in our terms, in our voice?

Granted, empty worship is possible and perhaps happens more than we’d wish, but who decides what is empty or full? Who put us in charge of evaluating everything? The Gospel message is repenting—saying we are wrong and submitting to God in a Jesus-like love. We say we submit to Christ, but constantly find fault with his bride.

You are a fool. “You shall know them by their fruits.” Certainly we are wrong sometimes, but most of the time we are right. Why do you think God gave us brains and spirits, if not to weigh and evaluate? I suppose you’d be happy if the Sunday services were read to us?

Perhaps God gave us brains and spirits to find the best in a poor or meager spiritual offering. Maybe we aren’t the judge. Maybe there’s water in the desert. Perhaps there’s grace in suffering through things we don’t prefer. Maybe we are designed for the garden—not exciting, but fruitful when God provides the rain. We seem to be always trying to make it rain.

You’d make a good Catholic. Close the brain and take whatever comes. The problem with Catholics, Anglicans, and others is they never have a personal experience. They just go through the motions. They worship in dead churches with dead liturgy under the leadership of dead priests.

I must confess I had those same thoughts until recently. I noticed we have the tendency to define our own faith using our own terms based upon our interpretation of the Bible and we search out worship and praise experiences that suit our tastes. Don’t you see a pattern, here? People are going through the motions?! Why should we even consider this?

How many dead, dry worship services have we endured? Are you insane?! You were totally on board with the contemporary worship and practical sermons you heard in Atlanta. What? You don’t think those services are of God?

Well, yes, I think they probably are—no, I know they are, but maybe that’s only true when the heart comes in submission rather than in self-fulfillment or self-indulgence. Rather than worship great experiences we need to experience great worship. Really, is worship or church about us or God? Who is the spectator and who acts? It seems you choose worship like you choose restaurants or movies. Is the main spiritual question really what’s in it for me?

Listen to yourself. You wouldn’t be satisfied with sitting on hard pews, listening to old music, repeating worn phrases, and hearing lame sermons. You are no better than I. In fact, you are always the one trying to figure the spiritual angles.

Certainly I’d prefer quality and gifted ministers, but is it about my entertainment or intellectual stimulation? What if worship is us and the Father sharing the same space and thoughts? Whatever is going on onstage may be secondary, or even a distraction. What if church has evolved into some sort of religious circus and we never find the time to say, “God, here I am. Where are you in this?” Perhaps true worship is seeing God even in common things—the way young love is obsessed by its object.

Are you saying the Spirit isn’t leading anyone but you? We are responsible for our own spiritual formation and growth. That’s why I search for engaging speakers, good music, and Biblical preaching for us.

Yes, but you only like what you like. That includes the way you read the Bible. You are all about some verses, but you are quick to discount or ignore others. Rebellion is afoot. I want to submit to God and rebel against the vanity of this world.

You are taking this a bit too far. I’m not comfortable with assuming the worst in what I think is the best. Have you no hope or grace?

The rebellion is now plain to me. We are in the same situation as Lucifer and Adam and Eve. The rebellion is in thinking we know best—insisting our own will be done. Even when we are good we taint it with pride and self-gratification. This is rebellion. We do not submit. We do not rest. We depend upon God when it suits us and ourselves when it doesn’t.

You’ve moved to a higher plain of paranoia. According to you, we can do no good. We can summon nothing. You describe boredom or death, to me.

Yes, perhaps death is an apt description. If we are dead in Christ, what are we doing living according to our own desires? Death submits to everything—no complaints, no evasions, no selfish choices—just submitting to what is given.

I think you are wrong.

I know you do. That’s your problem—you think way too much for your own good. You mimic the voices of this world—you sweeten them with Christian jargon and your own version of everything. You go to churches that make you feel good and right. Confession, repentance, and humility are a rarity. You don’t submit to God, you try to force Him to submit to your selfish faith. We live on a rebellious planet and the prevailing spirits spin our selfish desires into webs of deceit and false spirituality.

You are sounding like a lunatic. We have choices to make and we have to “work out our salvation” as the Bible says. Failure to strive in the faith is failure to believe.

I’d just have you consider how much of your faith is actually faith and how much is your own design. What in your faith is greater than you? In the end, life is living in loving submission and this defines our relationship with God—just like Jesus taught and lived. Furthermore, worship is submitting each moment to whatever God sends. We come to God empty and broken, like the thief on the cross—like a child.

I won’t listen to anymore of this nonsense. I won’t give up my right to make decisions I know to be permissible.

There! You hit the nail on the head—your rights—that’s the rebellion speaking. I overrule you in this matter. You may speak for the flesh, but I speak for the spirit and in the way of Jesus, we’re going to see what submission has to offer. I think I’ll reconsider all our wanting. We’ll wait upon the Lord. Our Father’s will is to conform to Him. I’ll let you read and learn and consider, but the question for now is, “In this, whatever it is, are we submitting to God?” We shall submit to everything and see what God might provide. We will not join the rebellion that is afoot. So, when the speed limit is 55 shall we rebel or submit and seek God? When the sermon is weak shall we rebel or submit and seek God? When the music is not invigorating, shall we rebel or submit and seek God? Flesh, I assume you’ll fight me on this.

Yes, especially the 55 part—I know you’ll give in.