Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Matthew 18:15-17 "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector."
CALLING A CHURCH MEETING
When Martin Luther realized that breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church was unavoidable, he published three articles which one church historian has called "the greatest work since the days of the apostles." The first of these works was titled, "To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation." In it Luther writes:
"The Romanists have ... drawn three walls round themselves, with which they have hitherto protected themselves, so that no one could reform them, whereby all Christendom has fallen terribly.
" ... Thirdly, if they are threatened with a council, they pretend that no one may call a council but the Pope."
Luther responded to this claim by the Catholic Church by referencing the direction Jesus gives in Matthew 18:
" ... Here each member is commanded to take care for the other; much more then should we do this, if it is a ruling member of the community that does evil, which by its evil-doing causes great harm and offence to the others. If then I am to accuse him before the Church, I must collect the Church together. Moreover, they can show nothing in the Scriptures giving the Pope sole power to call and confirm councils; they have nothing but their own laws; but these hold good only so long as they are not injurious to Christianity and the laws of God."
Again, the greatness of Luther's writing is this: it's foundation is the Word of God, not rules and regulations that human councils have come up with.
