MARTIN LUTHER by C. S. Longacre

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Dec 12, 1916

FromSigns of the Times, December 12, 1916

MARTIN LUTHER

By C. S. Longacre

on Church and State Union

By C. S. LONGACRE

Editor of “Liberty”

That professed Protestants may see how far they have wandered from the original Protestant platform in regard to church-and-state co-operation in religious matters, I will quote some extracts from Luther’s first sermon delivered after his return to his home church in Wittenberg, from his captivity in the Wartburg. The reason why Luther preached his first sermon on church-and-state separation was not because Rome was united, but because the friends of Protestantism were urging Luther to accept the aid and protection of civil magistrates. Luther protested vigorously against such an unholy union, and told his friends, in no uncertain tone, that such a course would mean the utter defeat of the Reformation.

Luther wrote thus to the elector who offered him aid:

“I have no thought of soliciting the assistance of your highness; so far from desiring your protection, I would rather give you mine. No sword can give any aid to this cause. God alone must do all, without human aid or coöperation. . . . Your electoral highness has already done too much, and ought to do nothing at all.”

These words were sent by Luther to the elector on the very day Luther arrived at Wittenberg from the Wartburg.

The next day, he ascended the old Wittenberg pulpit, and “he stood up like a lion goaded on to battle, and shaking his bushy mane, he said, ‘Now is the time to trample Satan underfoot, and combat the angel of darkness.’” Having gained their attention, he continues his remarkable sermon, which laid the basic platform of the Reformation, thus:

“It is by the Word that we must fight; by the Word overturn and destroy what has been established by violence. I am unwilling to employ force against the superstitious or the unbelieving. None ought to be constrained. Liberty is of the essence of faith.”

Exposing an erroneous practice of the church, he continues:

“But let nobody be driven from it by violence. The affair must be committed to God. His word must act, not we. And why? you will say. Because I do not hold the hearts of men in my hand, as the potter does the clay. We have a right to speak, but not to act. Let us preach; the rest belongs to God. If I employ force, what shall I obtain? — Grimace, appearances, apishness, human ordinances, hypocrisy; . . . but there will be no sincerity of heart, no faith, no charity.” Any work in which these three things are wanting, wants everything, and I would not give a pin for it.”

The Heart — or Nothing

“The first thing to be gained from people is their heart, and for this it is necessary to preach the gospel. Then the Word will descend on one heart to-day, and on another to-morrow, and operate in such a way. God does more by His mere word than you and I and all the world could do by uniting our utmost strength. God takes possession of the heart; and when the heart is taken, everything is taken.

“Paul, having one day arrived at Athens, a great city, found altars erected to false gods. He went from one to another, viewed them all, but touched none. But he quietly repaired to the market place, and declared to the people that all their gods were only idols. His words took possession of their hearts, and the idols fell without being touched by Paul.

“I wish to speak, to preach, to write; but I wish not to constrain any one, for faith is a voluntary matter. See what I have done. I have withstood the pope, indulgences, and the papists; but without tumult and violence. I have put forward the word of God, have preached, have written; but this is all I have done. And while I was asleep, . . . the Word which I had preached overthrew the papacy, assailing it more effectually than was ever done by prince or emperor. I have done nothing — the Word alone has done all. Had I chosen to appeal to force, perhaps Germany might have been bathed in blood. But what would have been the consequence? — Ruin and desolation to soul and body. I therefore remained quiet, and allowed the Word itself to have free course in the world.

Playing Satan’s Game

“Do you know what the devil thinks when he sees recourse had to force in order to speed the gospel among men? — Seated, with his arms across, behind the flames of hell, Satan, with malignant leer and frightful smile, says, ‘Ah, how sagely these fools are playing my game!’ But when he sees the Word running and wrestling alone on the field of battle, then it is he feels uneasy, and his knees tremble, he mutters and swoons with terror.”

If Luther should rise from the dead to-day, and attend a convention of the “Federation of Churches,” and hear Protestant ministers clamoring for the aid and co-operation of the civil government to compel unwilling subjects to obey certain church dogmas, what would be his consternation! He would not know the Protestant churches, and he would repudiate those who would accept the coöperation of the state. What a shame and a travesty upon the Protestant platform is the present cry from Protestant ministers for Sunday laws, for the civil magistrate to whip every opposing element into subjection! The Reformation succeeded gloriously without the coöperation of the state, and without a Sunday law.

Professed Protestantism is digging its own grave in this country by sending petitions to the halls of legislatures instead of to the throne of God, just as verily as did the Catholic Church in France when she formed that unholy union with the state. While the French government is seeking a separation from the church, why should not this government heed the lesson, and keep out of the trouble that is sure to come? “Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”