{"id":6152,"date":"2023-12-04T20:19:45","date_gmt":"2023-12-04T20:19:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/?p=6152"},"modified":"2023-12-04T20:19:45","modified_gmt":"2023-12-04T20:19:45","slug":"the-life-doctrine-of-martin-luther-pt-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-life-doctrine-of-martin-luther-pt-1\/","title":{"rendered":"The Life & Doctrine of Martin Luther, Pt. 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Click HERE for sermon audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Introd<\/b>uction<\/b><\/p>\n

Today we finally come to look at the life and doctrine of the polarizing reformer, Martin Luther. This is one that we have looked forward to since beginning this journey in church history. Martin Luther is one of the most significant persons in the history of the world. God\u2019s work through Martin Luther literally changed the world down to our present day. He is a watershed figure. He is loyally defended by his followers and despised by his Roman Catholic opponents, even to this present day. Luther of course was not the inventor of certain protestant doctrines, nor was he the first to believe protestant doctrines. As we have labored to show in our early and medieval church studies, the church did not begin at the reformation, nor was it totally lost and then born anew in the reformation. But, as we consider Luther\u2019s life and doctrine, we will surely see, that he was indeed God\u2019s man in God\u2019s time, who was used by God more than any other to turn the lights on and expose the growing and rotting tentacles of the dark and perverted corners of the church, with the ancient truths of the gospel and freedom in Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

Having read a number of biographies on Luther, listened to a number of lectures on him, and having read a number of his works and sermons, I will enthusiastically testify to the fact that Luther is indeed all he is cracked up to be, and is a worthwhile consideration of our time. Without idolazing or exalting the man, Luther is indeed a giant of the faith. He is witty, profound, and over-the-top. His life was filled with tumult, opposition, fruitfulness, and hilarity. At one moment you will find yourself sharing sympathy at the trials he faced, and the next you will be bubbling over in laughter at the things that happened to him. In one moment you will be touched by the simplicity of which he states the truth of the gospel, and in the next you will be shocked at the sharp criticisms he levels at his opponents. Luther was indeed a flawed man and a sinner; and he knew it, which is what draws us to him. The fact is that we love Luther, but were we to be baptists in his day, he would not love us, but would turn a blind eye to our persecution, if not looking over it himself. This is the privilege we have of coming 500 years after him, we can eat the meat and spit out the bones, giving thanks to God for the good that He used Dr. Luther for.<\/span><\/p>\n

I was listening to a lecture on Luther by Reformed Baptist pastor Brian Borgman, who brought to mind Hebrews 13:7, which says, \u201cRemember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.\u201d This, he says, is a divine warrant to have heroes of the faith. As Paul says elsewhere, \u201cfollow me as I follow Christ,\u201d so we may follow anyone, so far as they follow Christ. We do not follow Luther everywhere he goes, but there is plenty in which we may follow him, in following the God who made Martin, our Lord Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n

Early\/Life Upbringing<\/b><\/p>\n

Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, Saxony, which was in Germany, to a German family, his father Hans Luder and his mother Margarethe. Martin would later change the spelling of his last name from Luder to Luther because \u201cLuder\u201d meant \u201cbad guy,\u201d and \u201cLuther\u201d meant \u201cfree, or the liberator.\u201d Luther had two brothers that died of the plague, another that lived to adulthood. His father Hans, was a hardworking and successful miner. He worked very hard to be able to send Martin to law school when he got older. He desired to see Luther become successful at law in order to provide financial security to them at an older age, so this was very much an investment for Hans. So this is what Luther did. Religiously, they were of course Roman Catholic.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Storm<\/b><\/p>\n

But Luther\u2019s life would prove not to be a simple or normal Roman Catholic life. You may have heard the phrase that boxers use, \u201cEveryone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.\u201d Well, Luther had a plan until he got punched in the mouth, so to speak. God had other plans for his life. God loves to wreck our plans, and He loves to have fun with the plans that we make. Indeed it was a literal thunderstorm that was the first punch in the mouth that changed Luther\u2019s plans, and indeed changed the world. In July of 1505 as Luther was traveling from his parents home in Mansfeld Germany to Erfert, where he was studying law, there came upon him such a great thunderstorm that Martin began to fear for his life. Not believing he would make it through the storm he cried out, \u201cSt. Anne, save me and I will become a monk!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, Luther of course survived the storm, and was true to his word, and so entered the Augustinian order of monks in Erfert. This of course was of great displeasure to his father, who was not at all pleased to see his hope for financial security slip away, but as was the course of Luther\u2019s life, he could do no other.<\/span><\/p>\n

Monkery<\/b><\/p>\n

So Martin entered the monkery and according to monkery, he was the best of all monks. Yet, it was that fear of death and judgment that he experienced in seeing his life flash before his eyes in the thunderstorm that drove him to insane levels of monkery. Luther had no peace in dedicating his life to such living, he was driven and filled with fear of God, fear of God\u2019s judgment, and even, in his own words, hatred of God because he hated the righteousness of God. This was because Luther had a very real understanding of his own sin and he knew himself to be a great sinner. He looked into his soul and saw no peace and no comfort in God, but only darkness in despair at himself. Luther was guilty of extreme introspection and self-examination, yet in his case, it may have been for good cause, since he did not yet have the peace and understanding of the gospel that a righteous God justifies the unrighteous.<\/span><\/p>\n

So Luther was known for self-flagellation – that is physically beating himself – even with a whip, or with sticks. He would even sleep outside in the freezing cold seeking to mortify his fleshly desires and comfort. Once it is even said that Luther attempted to sleep outside with no covering in a terribly cold snowstorm in which his fellow monks came outside in the middle of the night to carry him in, very likely saving his life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Luther is famous for reflecting on this and saying, \u201cIf ever a monk got to heaven by his monkery, it was I.\u201d But even Luther would not get to heaven by his monkery.<\/span><\/p>\n

First Mass<\/b><\/p>\n

So it was that in 1507 Luther was assigned to administer his first mass. This is another moment where Luther had a plan until he was punched in the mouth. Recall that the Roman Catholic view of the Mass is that of Transubstantiation, this is what Luther believed at the time. This is where the elements of bread and wine are believed to actually transform into the body and blood of Christ, as the priest was re-sacrificing Christ anew on the altar. Leading up to Luther\u2019s first mass, there was actually excitement from his family. His father brought a group of friends to witness it and he even made a large donation to the monastery. But this would not be a time for reconciliation between father and son. As Luther began the mass he was filled with the fear, dread, and terror of God.<\/span><\/p>\n

Luther began to speak the words of the mass, \u201cWe offer unto thee, the living, the true, the eternal God.\u201d Luther later writes about saying these words, \u201cAt these words I was utterly stupefied and terror-stricken. I thought to myself, \u2018With what tongue shall I address such Majesty, seeing that all men ought to tremble in the presence of even an earthly prince? Who am I, that I should lift up mine eyes or raise my hands to the divine Majesty? The angels surround Him. At his nod the earth trembles. And shall a miserable little pigmy say, \u2018I want this, I ask for that\u2019? For I am dust and ashes and full of sin and I am speaking to the living eternal and the true God.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Luther could barely hold himself together, pale and limp, to finish the mass. In speaking to his father after the mass, he wanted to hear that his father was proud of him for succeeding in monkery, but his father Hans could hold it in no longer, and lashed out, accusing Luther of leaving he and his mother to fend for themselves in old age. There was no peace or comfort to be found for Martin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rome<\/b><\/p>\n

About a year or so later, Martin was transferred from Erfrut to a little town called Wittenberg, you may have heard of it. Where there was a new university at which he would study and end up earning his doctorate in theology.<\/span><\/p>\n

But the next punch in the mouth for Luther was around the year 1510 when he was commissioned to take a trip to Rome, which of course was highly revered for Roman Catholics, this was like a trip to Mecca for Muslims. So Luther travels nearly 1,000 miles to Rome, something he was quite eager to do. However, more of the veil would be lifted on this trip. As he arrived and spent time there he was shocked at the immorality of Rome and her priests, and the flippancy with which they treated the mass. He was greatly disturbed in his spirit, yet remained a Roman Catholic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wittenberg<\/b><\/p>\n

Upon returning to Wittenberg from Rome, Luther continued his studies in theology under a man named Johan Von Staupitz. Staupitz was good for Luther. However, Luther still had no peace or assurance.<\/span><\/p>\n

So Luther would spend endless hours in confession of sin, confessing his sins to his abbot, who grew quite weary and annoyed with Luther\u2019s morbid introspection and searching out of sins, real or fake in the deep corners of his motivations. He was once told by his abbot to go from the confessional and not return until he had committed a real sin. Finally Staupitz had an idea that he thought would help Luther. He commissioned Luther to teach theology at the University of Wittenberg. He thought this would get Luther\u2019s mind off himself and busy him with the study of the Scriptures and that which he was to teach. Luther would give lectures on the Psalms, Romans, and Galatians. This of course drove Luther to studying the text of Scripture where he wrestled and wrestled for years with the very Word of God, as he continued to butt up against the righteous God before whom he felt the terror of His holiness and righteousness and the dark despair of his own soul.<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, in studying the Scriptures, this is where reform and light began to break through in Luther. From this comes one of the core doctrines of the reformation and Luther\u2019s own spirituality, that of Sola Scriptura. Through wrestling with the Scriptures, it was there that Luther began to have eyes that see, and thus would form this vital findation of the Scriptures alone as the sole, final authority. The first beginnings of breakthrough happened when Luther was studying the 22nd Psalm, and meditating on those words, \u201cMy God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me,\u201d which the Lord Jesus Himself uttered while suffering on the cross. It struck Luther as deeply profound as He wondered how the Lord of Glory could be forsaken and experience the utter darkness of condemnation that Luther himself had felt upon his own soul. It could only be, Luther concluded, that the perfect Son of God, became man to bear our own sins and iniquities upon Himself, and thus experience the condemnation and judgment of sinners. Where then stands the judgment upon sinners? So it began.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then it was the book of Romans. Luther even said to have pestered the apostle Paul for answers in trying to understand what he meant by the justice, or righteousness of God. Here we read Luther\u2019s own words, \u201cI greatly longed to understand Paul\u2019s Epistle to the Romans and nothing stood in the way but that one expression, \u2018the justice of God,\u2019 because I took it to mean that justice whereby God is just and deals justly in punishing the unjust. My situation was that, although an impeccable monk, I stood before God as a sinner troubled in conscience, and I had no confidence that my merit would assuage him. Therefore I did not love a just and angry God, but rather hated and murmured against him. Yet I clung to the dear Paul and had a great yearning to know what he meant. Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that \u2018the just shall live by his faith.\u2019 Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before the \u2018justice of God\u2019 had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gate to heaven\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tetzel<\/b><\/p>\n

Well because of these developments, because of Luther\u2019s understanding of the Scripture to be teaching repentance, rather than \u201cdo penance,\u201d and his seeing the corruption of Rome, Luther came to deliver his first real punch in the mouth of the Romish system and pocketbooks.<\/span><\/p>\n

In those days, indulgences and relics were big business. There have always been hucksters who have sought to manipulate God\u2019s people for the love of money, and in these days it was bad, just as we today in prosperity gospel or word of faith movements. They would sell relics, things like a tooth of an apostle, or a piece of wood from the cross of Christ, or a garment from the apostles or saints. It was believed that these things would infuse merits for someone\u2019s soul. Or they would sell indulgences, in which you could purchase forgiveness of sins to get you out of purgatory faster, or even your dead relatives.<\/span><\/p>\n

So it was that the pope of that day, Leo X, needed some cash in order to fund the building of St. Peter\u2019s basilica. So there was a man named Johann Tetzel who was one of the most slick-tongued salesmen of the day. Tetzel would travel from cities to villages selling indulgences and even had a nice little jingle to go with his sales pitch, saying, \u201cA coin that in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs!\u201d Well Luther had a holy disgust for this man, Tetzel, who did wish to make a trip to Wittenberg. However, he was unable to enter the borders, because the Elector of Saxony, Frederick the Wise – he was the civil magistrate over Wittengerg – would not allow him in because he did not want it to interfere with the indulgences being dispersed in Wittenberg which went to fund their own projects. Well, Luther opposed all of this. And all of this was too much for Luther. He could no longer contain himself. This was earlier in the year 1517. Well, do you recall anything significant happening later in the year 1517?<\/span><\/p>\n

95 Theses<\/b><\/p>\n

It was on the Eve of All Saints Day, the day when Frederick the Elector had indulgences in Wittenberg, that Luther posted his 95 Theses on the church door of the church at Wittenberg. This event has of course become a kind of caricature in our day, imagining that Luther took a great hammer and loudly nailed them to the door with great and immediate uprising as he did so. But this was not quite how it went down. It was quite normal that different topics for discussion and debate would be posted on the door, for debate among the scholars. This is what Luther intended, he wanted debate among the professors and scholars to take place, and this is what he expected to take place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A chief concern of the 95 theses is that of indulgences, relics, and penance vs. repentance. So it was that thesis number one said this, \u201cWhen our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent” (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.\u201d The second thesis stated, \u201cThis word cannot be understood as referring to the sacrament of penance.\u201d Now, if we haven\u2019t read the 95 Theses we tend to think of them as 95 stand alone statements of doctrine against the papacy. However, they are all interrelated and each of the theses is a short statement, building and making an argument one point at a time. Theses 36 and 37 state this, \u201cAny truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without indulgence letters. Any true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessings of Christ and the church; and this is granted him by God, even without indulgence letters.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

At this point, Luther still upholds the papacy while making statements against the abuses of the papacy as regards penance and indulgences. In this we see Luther\u2019s desire not to be an authority unto himself or to be revolutionary, but rather to reform the church to a more biblical religion. He would soon find out that it was beyond reform at this point. Here\u2019s another good one, thesis 45, \u201cChristians are to be taught that he who sees a needy man and passes him by, yet gives his money for indulgences, does not buy papal indulgences but God’s wrath.\u201d Thesis 50, \u201cChristians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the indulgence preachers, he would rather that the basilica of St. Peter were burned to ashes than built up with the skin, flesh, and bones of his sheep.\u201d Thesis 52, \u201cIt is vain to trust in salvation by indulgence letters, even though the indulgence commissary, or even the pope, were to offer his soul as security.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

We also begin to see Luther\u2019s high view of the Word of God being fleshed out in the 95 theses. Thesis 54: \u201cInjury is done to the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or larger amount of time is devoted to indulgences than to the Word.\u201d Thesis 62, \u201cThe true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Luther concludes his theses, 94-95, with words that would be prophetic to the course of the rest of his life, and the way he lived it, saying, \u201cChristians should be exhorted to be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, death and hell. And thus be confident of entering into heaven through many tribulations rather than through the false security of peace (Acts 14:22).\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So you can see in these that Luther desired to reform the church, not cause upheaval, and yet he was ready to follow Christ through death if that is what it would end up meaning. Again Luther did not intend these to be published to the public, they were written in Latin for debate of scholars and theologians. But the toothpaste could not be put back in the tube. The theses were sent to authorities and then eventually to Rome. They were also sent the new technology of the printing press and published far and wide, which began a pamphlet war against that devilish rascal Tetzel, and a number of Luther\u2019s pamphlets and works were sent to the printing press which began to spread Luther\u2019s name and reformation fever. The printing press, which little Wittenberg had its own printing press, shows us God\u2019s providential timing for Luther to be God\u2019s man at God\u2019s time. There was no internet, radio, or speedy communication. But the printing press was fresh on the scene and in that day was lighting quick mass dissemination of pamphlets and books which dispersed reformation ideas far and wide for the first time in history. Rome could not stop it. It was the internet of the day. The reformation does not happen like it did without the printing press, which Luther had full access to in Wittenberg.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the course of 4 years there were a series of councils which sought to get Luther to recant before the big one – the diet of Worms. Luther was even given the opportunity to debate a Roman Catholic theologian, John Eck, thinking this would solve the problem, but Luther manhandled Eck in the debate and just made things intensify. I think it was even the Pope, or someone from Rome who said, just wait until this drunken German sobers up, and all this will be over. But while Luther was definitely German and no doubt enjoyed his German beer, he was not drunk. He was completely sober. There would be no sobering up to do. Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth, and now Rome had been punched in the mouth.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Click HERE for sermon audio Introduction Today we finally come to look at the life and doctrine of the polarizing reformer, Martin Luther. This is one that we have looked forward to since beginning this journey in church history. Martin Luther is one of the most significant persons in the history of the world. God\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":6153,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[1937,281,388,611,678,699,747,779,797,1938,1936],"class_list":{"0":"post-6152","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-church-history","8":"tag-1937","9":"tag-church","10":"tag-doctrine","11":"tag-history","12":"tag-jenkins","13":"tag-joshua","14":"tag-life","15":"tag-luther","16":"tag-martin","17":"tag-theses","18":"tag-wittenberg","19":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/download.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6260,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-radical-reformation\/","url_meta":{"origin":6152,"position":0},"title":"The Radical Reformation","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"January 8, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Click HERE for sermon audio Zwickau Prophets In 1521, three preachers from Zwickau arrived in Wittenberg while Luther was hiding in the castle Wartburg. These men, along with Carlstadt were responsible for the chaotic destruction and violence that broke out before Luther returned. They claimed to have direct revelation from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/anabaptist-890x680-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/anabaptist-890x680-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/anabaptist-890x680-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/anabaptist-890x680-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6214,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-life-and-doctrine-of-martin-luther-pt-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":6152,"position":1},"title":"The Life and Doctrine of Martin Luther, Pt. 2","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"December 18, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Click HERE for sermon audio Diet of Worms Well last time we left off with the 95 theses which Luther posted on Oct. 31st 1517. He continued to write and debate in the intervening time leading up to the year 1521. On January 3rd, 1521 Pope Leo X issued a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/1895b302d5f54ddec16694b78418b7cd-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/1895b302d5f54ddec16694b78418b7cd-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/1895b302d5f54ddec16694b78418b7cd-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/1895b302d5f54ddec16694b78418b7cd-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/1895b302d5f54ddec16694b78418b7cd-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/1895b302d5f54ddec16694b78418b7cd-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6516,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-french-huguenots\/","url_meta":{"origin":6152,"position":2},"title":"The French Huguenots","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"June 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Click HERE for sermon audio Introduction Philippians 1:29 says, \u201cFor it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake\u2026\u201d This is the story and the testimony of the group of Christians that we will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/06\/59070-1024px-Emigration-of-the-Huguenots-1566-by-Jan-Antoon-Neuhuys.800w.tn_.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/06\/59070-1024px-Emigration-of-the-Huguenots-1566-by-Jan-Antoon-Neuhuys.800w.tn_.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/06\/59070-1024px-Emigration-of-the-Huguenots-1566-by-Jan-Antoon-Neuhuys.800w.tn_.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/06\/59070-1024px-Emigration-of-the-Huguenots-1566-by-Jan-Antoon-Neuhuys.800w.tn_.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3594,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/brief-thoughts-on-the-sufficiency-of-scripture\/","url_meta":{"origin":6152,"position":3},"title":"Brief Thoughts on the Sufficiency of Scripture","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"July 25, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture essentially states that the Scripture is all that is necessary to govern the Christian life. The Word of God is sufficient to direct our steps in our lives, without assistance from another source of authority. It testifies to Psalm 119v105, \"Your Word is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Culture","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/07\/glasses-620x340-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/07\/glasses-620x340-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/07\/glasses-620x340-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3064,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/martin-luther-on-the-holy-spirit\/","url_meta":{"origin":6152,"position":4},"title":"Martin Luther on the Holy Spirit","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"September 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"There is much confusion in today's world on the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. Not only is there confusion but evangelicalism is inundated with clearly false teaching on the role of the Holy Spirit. The other night I was reading Martin Luther's Smaller Catechism and was struck\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/faith\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/09\/martin-luther-9389283-1-402.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3764,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/overcoming-the-world-with-a-hammer\/","url_meta":{"origin":6152,"position":5},"title":"Overcoming the World with a Hammer","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"May 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Justification by faith is a hill to die on. Christ did. It was on Golgotha's hill, the place of the skull, where Christ began to purchase our justification. It was purchased not with coin, but with blood. It was on that hill that our sins were put on Christ as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/05\/hammer-nails.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/05\/hammer-nails.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/05\/hammer-nails.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/685"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6152"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6152\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6152"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6152"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}