Nailing your Thesis to the Door

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I sometimes wonder if people understand what I stand for and sometimes I am dismayed at how poorly I communicate it. Our culture teaches us to not rock the boat and to go along to get ahead economically and professionally. But, often I am reminded that great movements are often begun by a sole individual with a passion for a cause and no reluctance to pursue a goal. Often the changes of nations and great social movements can be traced back to a sole voice crying in the wilderness, a voice not afraid to fight for a cause no matter what the odds and no matter what the potential consequences. More often than not these individuals were not bent on rebellion but on reformation.

Such a person was Martin Luther, who dealt the symbolic blow that began the Reformation when he nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church. That document contained an attack on papal abuses and the sale of indulgences by church officials. It also talked about a personal relationship and salvation by grace.

But Luther himself saw the Reformation as something far more important than a revolt against ecclesiastical abuses. He believed it was a fight for the gospel. Luther even stated that he would have happily yielded every point of dispute to the Pope, if only the Pope had affirmed the gospel.

And at the heart of the gospel, in Luther’s estimation, was the doctrine of justification by faith–the teaching that Christ’s own righteousness is imputed to those who believe, and on that ground alone, they are accepted by God. He believed that the Bible was the revelation of God’s Word and that it should be made available to the common man in a language that could be understood. In eleven weeks, he translated the New Testament into Germen. He wrote the great hymn: A Mighty Fortress is Our God.

At first, he was written off as a rebellious radical, but in 1521, Luther was summoned to renounce or reaffirm his views and was given an imperial guarantee of safe conduct to ensure his safe passage. When asked the question would he reject his books and the errors they contain? Luther replied, “Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen” With that he became a marked man, his life in danger, all because he stood for what he truly believed.

This week, as I stood before the doors of the Castle Church at Wittenberg I could only imagine the deep convictions Luther had, willing to risk everything for a cause he believed in so strongly. Then I realized how profoundly my faith and my freedom of worship have been affected by this one man. He changed the church and he changed the world and he changed me. And, it all began when he wrote down what he believed and nailed it to the doors of the church for all to see. Luther is one of my spiritual heroes.

So, standing there before those doors, I thought about whether I could write what I believe, post it for the world to see and be willing to defend it no matter what the odds were against me. Could you do that?

The ability to do so begins with an un-recanting commitment to what I believe, and the resolve to share it and defend it no matter how doing that puts me in personal risk. So, as I went inside the church and knelt at the grave of Luther to pray, I asked God to give me the strength to stand fast for what I believe. May he give you that strength as well.

Question: Will you take some time today to write out exactly what you believe?

About this Author: John Grant

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