Packer on Lessons from Luther
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Packer on lessons we can learn from Luther:
- The necessity of reformation when the church's outward form and life contradict the gospel, whether doctrinally or practically.
- The nature of reformation as spiritual renewal, wrought from within by the Word of God.
- The pastoral purpose that must govern church reorganization. Good church order is not an end in itself, but must be thought of as a means to the good of souls by inducing fellowship, edification, and holiness.
- The primacy of preaching and teaching the Word as the means to reformation. All Luther's emphasis was laid on teaching, by catechisms, sermons, books, and schools. This emphasis on Christian instruction was itself epoch-making.
- Piecemeal improvement is better than none: and it is better to carry out innovation in a slow and piecemeal fashion than to outstrip weak consciences and make them stumble.
- Patience is need by those who seek reformation: having set ourselves to teach the Word, we must wait for it to do its own God-appointed work. Only God can build up Zion, and he is not always in such a hurry as we are.
Labels: Luther
posted by JT at Sunday, June 17, 2007
1 Comments:
Luther is hands down one of my heroes. He stood up to the establishment and said, "enough!" He wrote his own translation of the Bible and was ridiculed for it. But what I find interesting that many people seem to miss is that he failed. His goal was never to start a new denomination, or church. His goal was to reform the current church and in that he failed.
So I would humbly submit we add to Mr. Packers list that in failure we can succeed. (Or fail if you happen to be of the persuasion that the Lutheran Church needs to be reformed again!) :)
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