I took the liberty to rewrite a few of Luther’s 95 theses as I think he would have written them if he lived today. Let’s first look at Luther’s original text.
In the later half of the 95 theses Luther rails against the the preachers of indulgences:
Martin Luther’s Theses, Oct 31, 1517
- The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.
- But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last (Mt. 20:16).
- On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.
- Therefore the treasures of the gospel are nets with which one formerly fished for men of wealth.
- The treasures of indulgences are nets with which one now fishes for the wealth of men.
- The indulgences which the demagogues acclaim as the greatest graces are actually understood to be such only insofar as they promote gain.
- They are nevertheless in truth the most insignificant graces when compared with the grace of God and the piety of the cross.
- To consider papal indulgences so great that they could absolve a man even if he had done the impossible and had violated the mother of God is madness.
- We say on the contrary that papal indulgences cannot remove the very least of venial sins as far as guilt is concerned.
Every culture and every generations has their indulgence preacher and their indulgence theology which comes into the church and destroys the Biblical teaching of salvation by faith alone.
What might it look like if Luther wrote his theses today?
Martin Luther’s Updated Theses, Oct 31, 2017
- The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.
- But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it does not guarantee prosperity and health in this world but rather trials and persecutions.
- On the other hand, the treasure of Word of Faith teaching is naturally most acceptable, for it promises the poor in this world great riches.
- Therefore the treasures of the gospel are nets with which one formerly fished for men of wealth.
- The treasures of the Prosperity Gospel are nets with which one now fishes for the wealth of men.
- Prosperity and wealth which the Word of Faith teachers acclaim as the greatest graces are actually understood to be such only insofar as they line the pockets of those who preach such things.
- They are nevertheless in truth the most insignificant graces when compared with the grace of God and the piety of the cross.
- To consider the Prosperity Gospel so great that a man could attain for himself his own private jet if he were only to pray right, think positive, and act as if it were his, is madness!
- We say that Word of Faith theology comes neither from God’s Word nor is it true gospel faith, on the contrary, it drives men away from the gospel and destroys real faith.
