On the morning of the 16^th of April 1521, surrounded by an escort of one hundred mounted soldiers to ensure his safety, Martin Luther made his historic entrance to the city of Worms. Upon his entering at the city gate, many people tried to catch a glimpse of the man who had caused all the fuss, blocking the narrow streets as they approached the Johannniter Inn, Martin’s lodgings. Martin looked in disbelief at the shouting crowds, not having anticipated so much public sup­port. Still weak from his fever, sweating, and with his stomach on fire, he leaned against the door.

Once installed in his lodgings, he spent the rest of the day in conversation with friends and Church leaders. Early next morning he spent several hours in meditation and prayer, in preparation for the things to come, his trial later that day before the Emperor and the general assembly.

The Scene⤒🔗

With palms sweating and stomach rumbling, Luther waited outside of the “Bishop’s Court”. Pacing up and down, he tried to shake off the feeling that he was judged not only by the living, but by the dead. The muffled voices from the other side of the door stopped abruptly, and the door opened for him.

He paused to take in the scene before him. The room was packed, every possible space filled. Electors and princes from every state in the empire were present. Justus, his friend, had managed to slip in, and stood near the back. At the end of the room, only one man sat. It was Charles V, the twenty one year old Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. At the right hand of Charles stood Johann von Eck, and in front of him a pile of books – Luther’s works. All were silent as Luther approached the Emperor. Feeling as if he was wading through waist deep mud, he began to smile as he looked each member in the eyes, but it wasn’t a smile of confidence. This situation was far beyond his natural ability. In the audience he noticed Girolamo Aleander. Luther stopped in front of the books and bowed before the Emperor. Then Johann Eck stepped forward and rapped out two questions in quick succession.

Martin Luther, do you acknowledge these books as your own? Are you prepared to recant what you have written in these books?

The questions took Luther totally off guard and the awful truth stared him straight in the face. There wasn’t going to be a debate at all. They wanted a yes or a no, so that they could decide there and then whether to accept his retraction of what he had written, or burn him at the stake as a heretic.

His legal council stood nearby and re­sponded quickly to the first question. “The titles of these books must be named,” he said forcefully.

Johann Eck rolled his eyes, but allowed a Court clerk to read out all the titles. It gave Martin a few moments to consider how to respond. But what could he say? These questions were so obviously designed to reduce his theological arguments to an inadequate black or white. He needed time to think. The Court clerk was finished reading the book titles.

Martin cleared his throat and mumbled, “These books ... are all mine..., and ... I’ve written more.”

Johann Eck glanced at the Emperor, who was sitting perfectly still, staring at Luther as a hunter would stare at a stag in the forest. Eck asked the question again, “Do you defend all of them, or will you reject some?”

Martin stared at the books in front of him, he shook his head and spoke in a low voice as to himself. “This business ... touches on God and His word ... and the salvation of men. I dare not say too much ... or too little. It would be too dangerous ... for Christ Himself said: ‘He who denies Me before men, I will deny be­fore My Father.’” His legs were shaking while the eyes of the court were staring through him. Strangely, it was not the powerful men who intimidated him most, but the fact that all these men stood accountable before God. The decision they would make here and now would affect the eternal destinies of every man in this courtroom and of every family in the entire empire.

Martin looked at the Emperor, and said: “I beg you, give me more time to think it over.” Eck and the Emperor looked at each other in surprise, and a low rumble of shock and disap­proval broke out. Charles whispered something to Eck. Eck turned to Luther and said: “You will wait outside, Herr Luther.” He then turned his back on Luther and started to talk to Aleander. Martin bowed and walked outside with his lawyer. Some of his friends and supporters followed them.

Justus was the first one to say something. “They aren’t going to let you defend yourself, Martin. The best we can hope for is that the Emperor won’t rescind his promise of safe conduct back to Wittenberg.” Martin was in deep thought. “Of course,” Justus continued, “you can always try to escape tonight, if they grant your request.”

Martin smiled. “No, I’ll give them an answer, but I need time to think, how to answer. They tried to trick me into recanting or changing my views. If the Emperor will play fair, he will allow me time to reconsider my defense.”

Suddenly the door swung open and they were ushered back inside. Eck was standing with an angry red face, Aleander wouldn’t even look at Luther, and the Emperor was obviously angry with both of them. Eck spoke: “His Maj­esty finds it incredible that you aren’t prepared to answer a simple question. You are a semi­nary professor, Herr Luther, and yet you waste His Majesty’s time and that of this Honorable Court with your request. However, His Majesty has decided to grant you time to consider your response.” Luther bowed in acknowledgment. “One day, that’s all,” Eck continued. “We will reconvene tomorrow afternoon at four o’clock in plenary session of the General Assembly. You are dismissed.”

“Thank you..., Your Majesty,” Luther began,

“I realise…”

Eck interrupted loudly, “I said, you are dis­missed!” Then, lowering his voice to a angry growl, “and if I were you, sir, tomorrow, I would come prepared.”

The Next Day←⤒🔗

The following day, the meeting was moved to a larger hall to accommodate more people, and possibly to intimidate Luther. So many had packed into the hall that there was barely enough room for the Emperor to sit. Luther was a totally changed man. He felt his self confidence restored. The Church, he was convinced, had to purge itself of the evil influences of Rome. The time for silence had passed. He had spoken on paper; now, if the General Assembly would open the doors, he would roar!

The business of the day took longer than expected. It was 6 o’clock when Martin walked slowly into the hall. Hundreds of candles burned brightly in their wall sockets. Soldiers stood guard in gleaming armor. Every eye was on him as he approached the Emperor and Johann Eck. The pile of books lay sprawled on the table, exactly as on the previous day. Luther bowed before the Emperor. Eck started to speak.

Are these writings yours, and will you recant?

Martin took a step forward and addressed the Emperor, Eck and the Assembly in a clear ringing voice. “Most serene Emperor, most noble princes and merciful lords, if I have not given you your proper titles, I beg your forgive­ness. I’m only a monk, not a courtier. Yesterday you asked me if these books were mine and if I would repudiate them. They are mine. But, to answer your second question, they are not of the same kind.” A murmur rippled through the crowd. The Emperor frowned. Aleander rubbed his eyes and pinched his nose in frustration. “Some of my books deal with faith and life, so simple and in such a Christian spirit that even my enemies read them. The Pope’s bull doesn’t denounce all my books. If I were to renounce these books, I would be the only man on earth to deny the truth we all agree on.” Martin took a deep breath as he realized full well that what he was about to say would set him apart from the Roman Church for the rest of his life, and possibly from the Emperor who held his life in his hands. “Another group of my writings reviles the evil lives and teachings of the papists for the desolation they have brought upon the Christian world.”

At this point the Emperor leaned forward in his chair, Aleander stared disbelievingly at him, and Eck’s mouth fell open. Martin continued quickly, before they could recover. “Who can deny this, when so many scream on the rack of papal law?”

The Emperor pounded his fist on the arm of his chair in anger, but Martin continued, “Rome is a beast. Germany is its prey, and our people are being devoured! This tyranny threatens every German. If I were to recant now, I would unlock the door to more tyranny, at the insistence of the Holy Empire.”

Several electors and princes, who had sided with Eck before, now grunted their ap­proval. Greedy popes had abused Germany long enough. Martin sensed the shift in mood of his audience.

“A third group,” Martin continued, “contains attacks on private individuals and what I teach concerning Christ; therefore I cannot renounce these books either, without increasing tyranny and unholiness.”

Aleander snorted out loud.

“Show me my error,” Luther said, “and I will be the first to throw my books in the fire. My teaching creates division, I know, but I must walk in the fear of the Lord. I can’t escape my duty to my Germans. I commend myself to Your Majesty. I pray you would not allow my enemies to blacken my reputation without cause.”

Clearly Eck wasn’t happy. “Look at these books; some are outright bad, and others even worse.”

“All I ask is to be heard from Scripture...” Martin began, but Eck waved his hand impa­tiently.

“Every heretic wants to be heard from Scripture. Really ... Martin, how can you assume that you are the only one to understand the Scriptures? Will you elevate your own opinion above the judgments of so many others, and claim that you know more than they do? You have no right to question the holy and orthodox faith instituted by Christ, proclaimed by the apostles, sealed by the blood of martyrs and defined by the Church. You have no right to dispute that which we are forbidden by the pope and the Emperor to discuss lest there be no end of debate...” Eck paused, to catch his breath. “Now,” he said in a low threaten­ing voice, “I ask you, Martin, and answer me straight. Do you or do you not repudiate your books and the errors they contain?”

Luther looked directly at Charles and spoke without hesitation. “Your Majesty, since you and your lordships desire a simple answer, I will give one. Unless Scripture and plain reason convict me, I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other. My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against my conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”

The occupants of the hall sat in stunned silence. Charles spoke quietly to Eck, who then addressed Luther. “His Majesty would hear your defense in Latin.” Martin breathed a silent prayer of thanks to God. He was grate­ful for the Emperor’s challenge to repeat his defense in Latin, the official language of the court, but it would also broaden the impact of his message. As he finished, the Emperor gave an abrupt sign and rose. The meeting over. The Emperor retired to his private apart­ments. The hall erupted in jeers and hisses, and some Spaniards shouted, “Al fuego, – into the fire.” But Martin’s friends and supporters surrounded him and escorted him back to his lodgings.¹

Reforming or Deforming?←⤒🔗

Change can be good, but it is not always so. Trying to improve on technology is good; there is room for that. Trying to improve the Bible is bad; it cannot be improved on. We must be able to differentiate between good and bad changes.

Martin Luther began calling for reforms in the doctrines of the church of his day, leading to the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin, Ul­rich Zwingli, John Knox did much to restore the Biblical standards for faith and conduct. These Reformers affected the lives of millions and altered the history of many nations. Through their studies of the Bible, they found that the church had been ignoring and contradicting the gospel message. They called for sweeping changes, which would recover and restore the faith proclaimed by Jesus and his apostles. Like Jeremiah, they were saying: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Jer 6:16)

Reformers don’t want change for sake of change, but they want change for the sake of Christ. There are changes that reform, and changes that deform. We must be willing to change in order to grow closer to Christ. Churches that call themselves Reformed have a saying: “A Reformed church must always be reforming.” Some take this to mean that the churches must always be playing around with new ideas and unbiblical beliefs or immoral behaviour. What they call reforming is in fact deforming. “Always reforming,” means striving to think and live in tune with the Bible and more in touch with Jesus. It doesn’t mean, always coming up with new doctrines or new ways to God that Jesus and the apostles never spoke of. Modern progressives haven’t been always honest about new ideas they try to push. They may use our vocabulary, but they mean something quite different by it. They pay lip service to the historic teachings of Christianity but believe things that are utterly at odds to those teachings. There is only one supreme standard for knowing God and determining whether something is true or false, good or bad, for Christ or against Him. That standard is the Bible. “If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.” (Isaiah 8:20)

When a belief or behaviour is contrary to the Bible, the reformer rejects that belief or behaviour; the deformer rejects the Bible. A deformer wants to be progressive; a reformer wants to be Biblical.

A deformer wants what is new; A reformer wants what is true. A deformer claims there are many ways to God; a reformer knows Je­sus as the only way to God. A deformer says it is primitive to insist that only Jesus’ blood can take away sin; a reformer keeps on telling sinners that without Jesus’ blood there is no forgiveness of sin. A deformer wants to stay five years ahead of the times; a reformer wants to be ready for eternity. Are we reforming or deforming?²

I Will Build My Church←⤒🔗

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matt. 16:13) The disciples responded: “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and other Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (vs 14) Jesus therefore demanded an answer, “But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?” (vs 15)

The question becomes personal. It’s all well and good to speak about “those people out there.” But unless we have settled this issue personally, we would do well to remember that salvation begins with our personal standing before Jesus, who demands an answer as to who He is.

Simon Peter answered: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (vs 16) A simple man, called by Jesus, made a profession of faith in His name. The Bible calls us to believe, as Peter did about Christ, not just following Him as the best of men, but worshipping Him as the only true God.

Christ replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by My Father in Heaven.” (vs 17) A profession stands at the center of a saving relationship to Christ. Peter didn’t come to this conclusion using just common sense, or some appreciation of personal experience with Jesus, when He performed some great miracles. Pe­ter’s faith arose from the revelation of God the Father. Jesus continued with a great promise, “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church.” (vs 18)

The Church of Rome teaches that Peter was the first bishop of Rome. They reason that the rock on which Jesus promised to build His church was Peter, and therefore the Roman Catholic Church is the one true church, the succeeding bishops of Rome, the popes, being the successors of Peter. But there are gaping holes in this argument. Peter founded the church in Jerusalem and the one in Antioch, but not the one in Rome. At Pentecost there were probably men from Rome who came to faith. Undoubtedly, these men returned home and began the church in that city. Look at Jesus’ word play: “You are Peter, and on this Rock, I will build My church.” Jesus found in Peter a real believer, and on that foundation He could build His church. Peter was the one who would lead the Twelve in the weeks after Jesus’ death and resurrection; it was Peter who would preach on the first Pentecost. Jesus also added a promise: “and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matt 16 vs 18) Shortly after Peter’s confession, Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the Jewish leaders, be killed, and on the third day be raised. Jesus was explaining that the way of the cross is to be the pattern for His followers. “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” (vs 24) This is the principle that must govern Christ’s church. Christian men and women must take their stand on God’s Word before a watching world, ready to suffer for the sake of our Lord. Only thus can our church today, by the power of God, be able to overcome the powers of evil.

When we take seriously the cross of Christ and its claim on our lives, the world will stand up and take notice.³ For the believer this is not always an easy road to take. Sometimes, when we try to build on the church and add “one stone”, it may feel as if “two stones” break away. But one day, at the end of history, His church will be complete, and His people will be gathered together before the throne of the Great Reformer of all time in heaven.

Glorious things of Thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God;
He whose word cannot be broken formed thee for His own abode:
On the Rock of Ages founded, what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded, thou may’st smile at thy foes.