We had a big discussion on Facebook recently, and I shared this about Martin Luther in regards to who really goes to heaven.
Luther read “The just shall live by faith” in Paul’s introduction in his letter to Romans, and ran with his faulty interpretation to his own demise, which I’ll here show. And sadly, many have and still are following in his footsteps.
What the Bible really says about “The just shall live by faith.”
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Question:
“U bring up willful sin a lot where do u get that from Hebrews?”
My Answer:
Yes, ___, while in high school in ___, I found the truth about “willfully sinning” while reading through the entire New Testament on my own to see if the eternal security/once-saved-always-saved doctrine was true or not.
Hebrews 10:26-39
26 For IF WE SIN *WILLFULLY* after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains NO MORE SACRIFICE for sins [names removed from the Book of Life – Rev. 3:1-5], 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire [HELL] which will devour the adversaries.
28 A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. 29 HOW MUCH WORSE PUNISHMENT, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WITH WHICH HE WAS SANCTIFIED an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of GRACE?
30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance belongs to me,” says the Lord, “I will repay.” Again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE *HIS PEOPLE*.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. …
35 Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward. 36 For YOU NEED ENDURANCE so that, HAVING *DONE THE WILL OF GOD*, YOU MAY RECEIVE the promise.
37 “In a very little while, He who comes will come, and will not wait. 38 But *THE RIGHTEOUS will live by faith* [Luther’s “ONLY BELIEVE” theme song that he misinterpreted in Rom. 1:17 & Gal. 3:11]. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back TO DESTRUCTION, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.
It’s interesting that verse 38 in the Hebrews 10:26-39 passage, “The just shall live by faith” was Martin Luther’s famous ‘Eureka’ moment, and became his “ONLY BELIEVE,” OSAS theme song that most evangelicals loudly proclaim today.
But Luther read “The just shall live by faith” first in Romans 1. So by the time he got to Hebrews 10, apparently he was already indoctrinated, so he couldn’t accept its usage here, where being ‘just’ or ‘righteous’ requires holy living — not *willfully* sinning.
So instead of change his doctrine to require holiness, he concluded that 4 NT books were subordinate: Hebrews, James, Jude & Revelation.
The same “The just shall live by faith” verse is also in Galatians 3, where Paul was addressing the Judaizers. And we’ve seen what Paul then specifically said about who goes to heaven in chapter 5 and 6.
I was raised Wisconsin Synod Lutheran, and attended their schools K-12, but I was never told that Luther did horrendous things in his later life. “Only believe” justified his willfully sinning. This is what he wrote to Melanchthon:
And this article is linked under the “Sin Boldly” article, which shows how reverse-Christian Luther actually became in his behavior. John Calvin was OSAS too:
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Related:
Who-Goes-To-Heaven Scriptures — Narrow is the Way | Who are the Children of God? (Where Paul is reconciled with James — and with Hebrews and 1 John — and with Jesus. It all works!)
Martin Luther Cursed from His Heart Catholic Leaders, ‘Every Day’
Martin Luther’s Subordinate Bible Books: Hebrews, James, Jude & Revelation