Christians sometimes make the error of trying to effect spiritual reform by structural change. So we tinker with the format and content of church services. We might try to change denominational church laws by way of trying to entrench practices which we believe presuppose sounder biblical theology, hoping that by so doing the denomination will become more spiritually healthy.
In Wittenburg Martin Luther was in a position to impose his views concerning the Lord’s Supper and to effect structural change. He resisted the temptation to do so and explained his reasons for such forbearance in a sermon preached on March 10, 1522:
Now if I should rush in and abolish [the mass] by force, there are many who would be compelled to consent to it and yet not know where they stand, whether it is right or wrong, and they would say: I do not know if it is right or wrong, I do not know where I stand, I was compelled by force to submit to the majority. And this forcing and commanding results in a mere mockery, an external show, a fool’s play, man-made ordinances, sham-saints, and hypocrites. For where the heart is not good, I care nothing at all for the work. We must first win the hearts of the people. But that is done when I teach only the word of God, preach the gospel, and say: Dear lords or pastors, abandon the mass, it is not right, you are sinning when you do it; I cannot refrain from telling you this. But I would not make it an ordinance for them, nor urge a general law. He who would follow me could do so, and he who refused would remain outside. In the latter case the Word would sink into the heart and do its work. Thus he would become convinced and acknowledge his error, and fall away from the mass; tomorrow another would do the same, and thus God would accomplish more with his Word than if you and I were to merge all our power into one heap. So when you have won the heart, you have won the man - and thus the thing must finally fall of its own weight and come to an end.
Source: Gordon Cheng, “A Reformation bookshelf” in The Briefing 356 (May 2008) 27
Posted July 15, 2008
Upon clicking 'Buy now' you will be redirected to paypal.com where you can securely and quickly complete your purchase with a few clicks.
Immediately after payment at PayPal you will be redirected to a download page which
provides you instant access to your purchase.
