male announcer: This
presentation is brought
00:00:02.56\00:00:03.77
to you by the friends of
the Amazing Facts Ministry.
00:00:03.90\00:00:06.77
Doug Batchelor: Martin Luther,
00:00:10.27\00:00:11.57
the 16th century
father of the Reformation,
00:00:11.61\00:00:13.68
showed his grit when he
nailed his 95 theses to the door
00:00:13.71\00:00:17.58
of the church in Wittenberg,
Germany to protest indulgences,
00:00:17.61\00:00:21.42
and other non-biblical practices
endorsed by the Catholic Church.
00:00:21.45\00:00:25.55
After his trial at worms, he was
excommunicated from the church,
00:00:25.59\00:00:29.92
making him a fugitive from
religious and civil authorities.
00:00:29.96\00:00:33.76
But God provided for his rescue
through Frederick the Wise,
00:00:33.80\00:00:37.57
the elector of Saxony, who
staged kidnapping the famous
00:00:37.60\00:00:40.57
reformer and offering him safe
refuge at Wartburg Castle for
00:00:40.60\00:00:43.84
nearly a year.
00:00:43.87\00:00:45.67
While in exile at the
castle, Luther was known
00:00:45.71\00:00:48.18
as Knight George, and
the labor to translate
00:00:48.21\00:00:50.85
the New Testament into German,
making it more accessible
00:00:50.88\00:00:53.62
to the common people.
00:00:53.65\00:00:55.52
Martin Luther taught that
God's grace cannot be earned,
00:00:55.55\00:00:59.29
but it's a gift that
comes through faith in Jesus.
00:00:59.32\00:01:02.36
He was appalled by the church's
suggestion that forgiveness
00:01:02.39\00:01:05.66
could be bought
through an indulgence,
00:01:05.69\00:01:07.73
and he was not afraid to say so.
00:01:07.76\00:01:09.76
Ultimately, his
teaching split Christianity,
00:01:09.80\00:01:13.13
but does what Luther
taught several centuries ago
00:01:13.17\00:01:16.24
still matter for
Christians today?
00:01:16.27\00:01:18.94
Doug Batchelor: We're
gonna be talking about something
00:01:23.35\00:01:24.95
connected with October 31.
00:01:24.98\00:01:28.25
It was All Saints
Day, believe it or not,
00:01:28.28\00:01:31.92
that's part of the reason
it's connected with Halloween.
00:01:31.95\00:01:36.56
But that was a significant day
in history in that that was a
00:01:36.59\00:01:40.40
time when Martin Luther
posted an advertisement on
00:01:40.43\00:01:45.57
the church doors, inviting
other theologians to a debate.
00:01:45.60\00:01:49.50
It was written in Latin.
00:01:49.54\00:01:51.04
He didn't realize he was
gonna turn the religious world
00:01:51.07\00:01:53.21
upside down.
00:01:53.24\00:01:55.08
And so, our message today
is dealing with the subject
00:01:55.11\00:01:57.35
of Luther and the Reformation
and why it still matters.
00:01:57.38\00:02:03.59
Now, I'll give you a little
amazing fact you may not know,
00:02:03.62\00:02:06.19
and if you talk to the
average person in society
00:02:06.22\00:02:07.92
about Martin Luther, you
know who they first think of?
00:02:07.96\00:02:10.46
Martin Luther King, Jr.
00:02:11.39\00:02:13.86
Do you know how Martin
Luther King Jr. got his name?
00:02:13.90\00:02:17.63
He was not born
Martin Luther King Jr.
00:02:17.67\00:02:20.50
He was born Michael King.
00:02:20.54\00:02:23.04
In fact, Michael King, his
father was Michael King also.
00:02:23.07\00:02:29.04
Here was a pastor of a
Baptist Church in Atlanta.
00:02:29.08\00:02:32.38
Martin Luther King,
Jr.'s father, whose name was
00:02:32.41\00:02:35.82
Michael King, went with
some other pastors to Europe.
00:02:35.85\00:02:39.59
They visited the
places of the Reformation.
00:02:39.62\00:02:41.99
He was so inspired by
the courage of Martin Luther
00:02:42.02\00:02:45.99
the Reformer, that
he changed his name.
00:02:46.03\00:02:49.96
And his son was five years
old, he changed his name too.
00:02:50.00\00:02:54.17
But he changed his
name to Martin Luther King,
00:02:54.20\00:02:57.24
his son was Martin Luther
King, Jr. and so even though
00:02:57.27\00:03:00.14
Martin Luther, who was
something of a reformer,
00:03:00.18\00:03:04.38
got his name
because of the inspiration
00:03:04.41\00:03:06.35
from the life of Martin Luther.
00:03:06.38\00:03:08.18
So, before we can
talk a lot about Luther,
00:03:08.22\00:03:11.82
probably need to talk a little
bit about the Reformation.
00:03:11.85\00:03:14.59
Revelation 13, "The
beast I saw was like a leopard.
00:03:14.62\00:03:18.69
His feet were like
the feet of a bear,
00:03:18.73\00:03:20.66
his mouth was like
the mouth of a lion.
00:03:20.70\00:03:22.36
The dragon gave him
his power, his seat,
00:03:22.40\00:03:25.27
his throne, and
great authority."
00:03:25.30\00:03:28.10
You see, it was foretold
that this was gonna happen.
00:03:28.14\00:03:30.64
But after the
time of the apostles,
00:03:30.67\00:03:33.58
and after this great revival
that happened during the church
00:03:33.61\00:03:36.28
of Ephesus, that during
the church of Smyrna there'd be
00:03:36.31\00:03:38.41
great persecution and
then came the deadliest form
00:03:38.45\00:03:41.92
of persecution at
all, a great compromise.
00:03:41.95\00:03:45.85
With a
conversion of Constantine,
00:03:45.89\00:03:48.02
or at least a
pretended conversion of
00:03:48.06\00:03:49.56
the Roman Emperor Constantine,
suddenly Christianity went
00:03:49.59\00:03:53.03
from a forbidden religion,
to the government religion.
00:03:53.06\00:03:56.67
It became very vogue to
say you're a Christian because
00:03:56.70\00:03:59.07
Constantine said, "We'll conquer
unto the sign of the cross."
00:03:59.10\00:04:02.54
His mother claimed Christianity,
though he wasn't baptized
00:04:02.57\00:04:05.41
till the time of his death.
00:04:05.44\00:04:08.08
And some of the leaders
all wanted to be in the palace.
00:04:08.11\00:04:11.45
They got tired of
living in the catacombs.
00:04:11.48\00:04:13.98
And they said, "You know,
we'll reach a lot more people in
00:04:14.02\00:04:16.15
Rome if we, you know, just sort
of adopt some of their customs
00:04:16.18\00:04:21.49
and traditions, we
could get more converts."
00:04:21.52\00:04:26.96
For instance, they
had statues all over Rome.
00:04:27.00\00:04:31.17
Idolatry was everywhere.
00:04:31.20\00:04:33.07
The pagans didn't want to give
up their statutes and so some
00:04:33.10\00:04:35.44
of the church leaders
said, "Well, you know,
00:04:35.47\00:04:37.77
as long as they know that
they're not really praying
00:04:37.81\00:04:39.91
to the statues,
let's just rename them,
00:04:39.94\00:04:42.11
give them Bible names."
00:04:42.14\00:04:43.65
And they started to
take the statues of Mercury,
00:04:43.68\00:04:46.85
and Jupiter, and Apollos,
and Diana, and they named them
00:04:46.88\00:04:50.02
Mary, and Peter,
James, and John, and Jesus.
00:04:50.05\00:04:55.66
Idolatry suddenly
swept through the kingdom.
00:04:55.69\00:04:58.49
The robes and the
vestments of the pagan priests
00:04:58.53\00:05:02.70
were suddenly now being
worn by the Christian bishops.
00:05:02.73\00:05:06.17
And the simplicity
that they once had was lost,
00:05:06.20\00:05:08.80
and it became
the state religion.
00:05:08.84\00:05:11.24
And instead of the humble Jesus
going around with a staff and
00:05:11.27\00:05:14.31
barefoot or sandals, now all
of a sudden they were carrying
00:05:14.34\00:05:17.71
the church leaders
around like royalty,
00:05:17.75\00:05:20.45
and they were living in palaces,
and everything began to change.
00:05:20.48\00:05:24.95
Let me tell you some of
the things that Protestants
00:05:24.99\00:05:27.16
protested against the
church had begun to do.
00:05:27.19\00:05:30.63
The Bible teaches we're
not to bow down to statues.
00:05:30.66\00:05:33.96
The church began
and that's, of course,
00:05:34.00\00:05:35.83
one of the Ten Commandments.
00:05:35.86\00:05:37.67
The church began to say, you can
make and bow down the statues
00:05:37.70\00:05:39.87
and pray to them.
00:05:39.90\00:05:41.40
The Bible says Jesus is the only
mediator between God and man.
00:05:41.44\00:05:45.27
1 Timothy 2:5, the
church began to teach that Mary
00:05:45.31\00:05:48.64
was a co-mediator with Christ,
and you could reach Christ
00:05:48.68\00:05:51.21
through the saints.
00:05:51.25\00:05:53.01
They would mediate.
00:05:53.05\00:05:54.78
The Bible teaches that
Christ offered a sacrifice
00:05:54.82\00:05:58.15
on the cross once for all.
00:05:58.19\00:05:59.89
Hebrews 7, the church
began to teach the priests offer
00:05:59.92\00:06:03.09
Christ's body when
they do the mass every time.
00:06:03.12\00:06:07.40
The Bible teaches that
all Christians are saints
00:06:07.46\00:06:09.56
and priests.
00:06:09.60\00:06:10.90
Ephesians 1, 1 Peter 2, the
church in Rome began to teach
00:06:10.93\00:06:14.37
the priests are a special cast
within the Christian community,
00:06:14.40\00:06:18.37
to be treated differently.
00:06:18.41\00:06:20.41
The Bible teaches that we should
call no religious leader father,
00:06:20.44\00:06:23.48
Matthew 23:9.
00:06:23.51\00:06:25.51
In the Catholic Church,
they began to say you call
00:06:25.55\00:06:28.45
the priests and the
Pope and the bishops father.
00:06:28.48\00:06:32.19
The Bible says not to
pray in vain repetition.
00:06:32.22\00:06:34.96
Jesus said in Matthew 6:7,
the church started saying if you
00:06:34.99\00:06:38.43
want forgiveness, you've gotta
repeat this specific prayer over
00:06:38.46\00:06:41.16
and over again, whether it's
the Lord's Prayer or Hail Mary.
00:06:41.20\00:06:46.97
The Bible says you
confess your sins to God,
00:06:47.00\00:06:48.84
only God can forgive sins.
00:06:48.87\00:06:51.57
Isaiah 43:25, the church in Rome
began to say you must confess
00:06:51.61\00:06:55.98
your sins to the
priests to obtain forgiveness.
00:06:56.01\00:06:59.01
The teaching of
purgatory in limbo,
00:06:59.05\00:07:00.95
prayers for the
dead, nowhere in Scripture,
00:07:00.98\00:07:02.82
the relics of paganism.
00:07:02.85\00:07:05.39
The idea of an everlasting hell
that begins at the time of death
00:07:05.42\00:07:08.52
before you're even judged, all
these things came out of Greek
00:07:08.56\00:07:12.06
mythology about Pluto and Hades.
00:07:12.09\00:07:14.00
And they crept into the church
00:07:14.00\00:07:15.96
until what you
had was milkshake.
00:07:16.00\00:07:17.73
It was a stew.
00:07:17.77\00:07:19.10
It was a hash where
you had the commingling
00:07:19.13\00:07:21.67
of some Christian
truths, but a lot of paganism.
00:07:21.70\00:07:27.14
The church had fallen, and
they then had military power,
00:07:27.18\00:07:29.78
and they began to
persecute those who are faithful
00:07:29.81\00:07:32.51
to the Word, who had to
flee into the wilderness.
00:07:32.55\00:07:35.68
So, you set the stage
for this great apostasy
00:07:35.72\00:07:38.62
that the apostles
foretold was coming.
00:07:38.65\00:07:41.99
And there's a lot more I
could say about the corruption
00:07:42.02\00:07:44.26
that had come in.
00:07:44.29\00:07:46.03
But it got so
bad that the church,
00:07:46.06\00:07:48.56
realizing people reading
the Bible would find out these
00:07:48.60\00:07:51.33
problems and false
doctrines, they took the Bibles
00:07:51.37\00:07:54.70
away from the people.
00:07:54.74\00:07:56.20
They said, "Only the priests can
understand the Bible," and it
00:07:56.24\00:07:58.91
got to the point where
very few priests could even read
00:07:58.94\00:08:01.14
and have the Bible.
00:08:01.18\00:08:02.74
And it just fell into
formalism, and it became
00:08:02.78\00:08:04.95
a corrupt institution.
00:08:04.98\00:08:06.92
So, what the reformers
wanted to do was bring the Word
00:08:06.95\00:08:09.88
back to the people.
00:08:09.92\00:08:11.35
One of the early reformers,
there were many through history.
00:08:11.39\00:08:13.79
The records have been destroyed
because the church would destroy
00:08:13.82\00:08:15.66
these records.
00:08:15.69\00:08:18.19
He was the one who
actually put the Scriptures
00:08:18.23\00:08:20.63
in the language of the people.
00:08:20.66\00:08:22.10
His name was John Wycliffe, and
you'll find it spelt differently
00:08:22.13\00:08:25.07
because they didn't
have the rules of spelling.
00:08:25.10\00:08:28.17
Now sometimes it's
Wycliffe, it's Whitecliff,
00:08:28.20\00:08:30.97
it's Whitecliff.
00:08:31.01\00:08:33.11
But everyone in history knows
who this great reformer was.
00:08:33.14\00:08:35.34
He was the one who really
inspired so many others like us,
00:08:35.38\00:08:38.85
and like Luther.
00:08:38.88\00:08:40.45
He spoke--but he was a priest.
00:08:40.48\00:08:43.49
He was a Roman Catholic
priest, but he realized,
00:08:43.52\00:08:46.65
as he read the Scriptures,
he was a professor in England
00:08:46.69\00:08:48.92
and he said, "They're
not following the Bible."
00:08:48.96\00:08:51.89
He spoke against the
abuses in the church.
00:08:51.93\00:08:53.93
He spoke against the way they
were robbing the people of funds
00:08:53.96\00:08:57.27
and that the priests were
living in luxury, and the monks.
00:08:57.30\00:09:00.87
He challenged the idea
that they would sell forgiveness
00:09:00.90\00:09:03.44
for sin for money.
00:09:03.47\00:09:05.37
See, the idea of purgatory and
never burn in hell that begins
00:09:05.41\00:09:08.81
a death became very profitable
because the church said,
00:09:08.84\00:09:12.88
only the church has the
right to get people out of hell.
00:09:12.91\00:09:16.95
Before you go to hell forever,
you might just go to purgatory
00:09:16.99\00:09:19.89
and there's
still hope for a while.
00:09:19.92\00:09:21.99
But we decide who
gets out of purgatory.
00:09:22.02\00:09:24.26
If you make a good
offering, we will pray.
00:09:24.29\00:09:26.70
Only the
priests have this power.
00:09:26.73\00:09:28.36
And we can shorten their
time in purgatory or get them
00:09:28.40\00:09:31.40
out right away,
depends on how much you give.
00:09:31.43\00:09:34.54
And so, the people
in their superstition,
00:09:34.57\00:09:36.81
they didn't have the Bible.
00:09:36.84\00:09:38.17
They didn't know any different.
00:09:38.21\00:09:39.51
They believed, and
they were being abused.
00:09:39.54\00:09:42.18
They were being
exploited and robbed.
00:09:42.21\00:09:44.51
So, he spoke
against those abuses.
00:09:44.55\00:09:46.61
He challenged the indulgences.
00:09:46.65\00:09:48.75
Here's what Wycliffe said, "It
is plain to me that our prelates
00:09:48.78\00:09:50.69
in granting indulgences
do commonly blaspheme
00:09:50.72\00:09:54.59
the wisdom of God."
00:09:54.62\00:09:56.79
He repudiated the confessional.
00:09:56.83\00:09:58.83
"Private confession," he wrote,
"was not ordered by Christ and
00:09:58.86\00:10:02.23
was not used by the apostles."
00:10:02.26\00:10:04.93
He reiterated the
biblical teaching on faith,
00:10:04.97\00:10:08.04
trust holy in Christ, rely
altogether on his sufferings,
00:10:08.07\00:10:11.54
beware of seeking to be
justified in any other way
00:10:11.57\00:10:14.94
than by his righteousness."
00:10:14.98\00:10:18.21
He believed that every
Christian should have access
00:10:18.25\00:10:20.25
to the Scriptures.
00:10:20.28\00:10:21.72
He began translating the
Bible into English in 1382,
00:10:21.75\00:10:25.49
and I think it's safe to
say, the English translation
00:10:25.52\00:10:28.49
of the Bible that he affected,
altered history more than
00:10:28.52\00:10:32.93
any other document.
00:10:32.96\00:10:34.93
Some of you have
King James Bibles,
00:10:34.93\00:10:36.56
you got New King James.
00:10:36.60\00:10:37.90
Even if you get an N.I.V.
Bible, all of those Bibles
00:10:37.93\00:10:40.60
grew out of the original
translation by Wycliffe.
00:10:40.64\00:10:43.87
There were no Bibles in the
vernacular of the common people.
00:10:43.91\00:10:46.91
The Bible's were in
Latin, and they were very few.
00:10:46.94\00:10:50.48
The first Bible that
Luther ultimately found
00:10:50.51\00:10:52.45
was a Latin Bible.
00:10:52.48\00:10:54.32
If he had not learned Latin
at the pushing of his father
00:10:54.35\00:10:57.25
earlier, he never would
have been able to read it.
00:10:57.29\00:10:59.92
But Wycliffe put the Bible
in the language of the people
00:10:59.95\00:11:03.69
and it change history.
00:11:03.73\00:11:06.09
That leads us to someone who's
considered to be the Elijah
00:11:06.13\00:11:09.93
of the Protestant
Reformation, born November 10,
00:11:09.96\00:11:14.47
in 1483 in Eisleben,
Saxony, and that was part
00:11:14.50\00:11:18.57
of the Holy Roman Empire.
00:11:18.61\00:11:20.91
He originally, at
the urging of his father,
00:11:20.94\00:11:23.48
he entered
school, he studied Latin.
00:11:23.51\00:11:25.35
His father and mother
were lower middle-class people.
00:11:25.38\00:11:28.68
Later in his life,
they did much better because
00:11:28.72\00:11:30.89
of their industry and thrift.
00:11:30.92\00:11:33.29
But they knew
education was everything,
00:11:33.32\00:11:35.29
and so they sent
their son to school.
00:11:35.32\00:11:37.39
They wanted him to be a lawyer.
00:11:37.43\00:11:39.53
Martin Luther's father
had no time for the monks
00:11:39.56\00:11:43.60
in the church.
00:11:43.63\00:11:45.13
He was educated enough to
know it was completely corrupt.
00:11:45.17\00:11:48.57
They were exploiting the people.
00:11:48.60\00:11:50.27
And so, Martin
Luther studied law.
00:11:50.31\00:11:53.74
He had no peace about
his relationship with God.
00:11:53.78\00:11:56.98
And one day after a visit
home, he was riding on a horse
00:11:57.01\00:11:59.65
through the woods on
his way back to law school,
00:11:59.68\00:12:02.45
he got caught in a
terrible thunderstorm.
00:12:02.48\00:12:04.69
Lightning was flashing
and clapping all around.
00:12:04.72\00:12:07.56
He knew the
strikes were very close.
00:12:07.59\00:12:09.82
He was filled with fear
that he was gonna be struck.
00:12:09.86\00:12:12.46
And sure enough, a bolt
of lightning struck right
00:12:12.49\00:12:15.50
by him and his horse.
00:12:15.53\00:12:17.70
He fell from his horse like
the Apostle Paul and in terror,
00:12:17.73\00:12:21.97
he cried out to
Saint Anne and said,
00:12:22.00\00:12:25.04
"Save my life,
and I will be a monk."
00:12:25.07\00:12:29.81
Well, the storm died
away and he realized,
00:12:29.84\00:12:32.05
"I was saved, and
I made a vow to God."
00:12:32.08\00:12:37.32
And against the
pleading of his father,
00:12:37.35\00:12:40.36
he entered the monastery.
00:12:40.39\00:12:42.59
His father didn't
want him to waste his life.
00:12:42.62\00:12:44.36
He said, "You're wasting
all these years of education
00:12:44.39\00:12:45.79
I paid for.
00:12:45.83\00:12:47.13
You're gonna
become a useless monk."
00:12:47.13\00:12:48.83
And he and his father
didn't speak for two years.
00:12:48.86\00:12:51.33
But he realized he had no peace.
00:12:51.37\00:12:53.10
He entered the monastery,
and he did everything he could
00:12:53.13\00:12:55.44
to try to find peace with God.
00:12:55.47\00:12:57.34
He prayed.
00:12:57.37\00:12:59.21
He confessed his sins.
00:12:59.24\00:13:00.98
Matter of fact, he spent one
time four hours in confession.
00:13:01.01\00:13:05.28
And the priests were worn out.
00:13:05.31\00:13:07.75
Whenever Luther
showed up for confession,
00:13:07.78\00:13:09.25
it would wear them out.
00:13:09.28\00:13:10.59
They didn't want to hear his
confessions 'cause every little
00:13:10.62\00:13:12.85
thought, he was so sensitive.
00:13:12.89\00:13:14.79
His conscience was so sensitive
to sin that every little
00:13:14.82\00:13:16.93
thought, and he just saw the
pride, and he saw the problems,
00:13:16.96\00:13:20.10
and he saw the sin,
and all the impurity.
00:13:20.13\00:13:22.03
And he thought, "Well,
maybe I'll find peace if I go
00:13:22.06\00:13:24.87
on this pilgrimage to Rome."
00:13:24.90\00:13:26.60
So, he went to Rome and
he thought Rome, holy city.
00:13:26.63\00:13:29.07
He'd never been there.
00:13:29.10\00:13:30.41
You know, they didn't
have the Internet back then.
00:13:30.44\00:13:31.74
They thought everyone
walked on air in Rome.
00:13:31.77\00:13:33.74
That's where the Pope
was, where the, you know,
00:13:33.78\00:13:36.75
the the apostles were crucified.
00:13:36.78\00:13:38.98
They called it the Eternal City.
00:13:39.01\00:13:41.72
And when he got there, he
found out that it was like,
00:13:41.75\00:13:43.65
it was like Las Vegas.
00:13:43.69\00:13:45.35
It was just a party town, and
there was so much debauchery.
00:13:45.39\00:13:48.82
And he went and he stayed
in some of the monasteries,
00:13:48.86\00:13:52.09
and his monastery's in Germany.
00:13:52.13\00:13:54.73
They were hungry,
they were eating crust.
00:13:54.73\00:13:57.10
Here, they were feasting,
and it was like a brothel.
00:13:57.13\00:14:00.70
And he was shocked.
00:14:00.74\00:14:02.54
And then he finally got
to Rome and he saw it was
00:14:02.57\00:14:04.11
more of the same.
00:14:04.14\00:14:05.94
But he went to
all the holy sites,
00:14:05.97\00:14:07.38
and he's trying to
find peace with God.
00:14:07.41\00:14:08.88
Ultimately, he's going up
this staircase that supposedly
00:14:08.91\00:14:13.01
was the staircase
that where Jesus was tried.
00:14:13.05\00:14:16.12
They called it
Pilate's staircase.
00:14:16.15\00:14:17.45
It's still there today.
00:14:17.49\00:14:18.79
People go up on
their knees, pilgrims.
00:14:18.82\00:14:21.26
And Luther was going up
saying the Lord's Prayer on each
00:14:21.29\00:14:24.69
of the steps, and trying
to find some peace with God.
00:14:24.73\00:14:28.90
And the Scripture kept
going through his mind,
00:14:28.93\00:14:31.07
"The just shall live by faith."
00:14:31.10\00:14:33.84
And finally, he ran
from the place and said,
00:14:33.87\00:14:35.77
"What am I doing, trying to
find forgiveness by working?
00:14:35.80\00:14:38.81
I'm supposed to
find it by faith."
00:14:38.84\00:14:41.34
Back at the monastery, he had
found a Latin copy of the Bible.
00:14:41.38\00:14:46.01
Up until that point,
he'd only read little sections
00:14:46.05\00:14:47.68
of the Bible.
00:14:47.72\00:14:49.02
He had no idea that
someone had the whole book.
00:14:49.05\00:14:50.89
He said, "I'd give everything
for a whole copy of the Bible."
00:14:50.92\00:14:54.82
He just was so
thrilled that he could find one
00:14:54.86\00:14:58.83
in the monastery he could read.
00:14:58.86\00:15:00.63
You and I don't know
the privilege we have
00:15:00.66\00:15:01.96
to have Bibles,
multiple Bibles in our hands.
00:15:02.00\00:15:05.20
And he fell in love
with the Word of God.
00:15:05.23\00:15:07.57
The rest of his life,
he was never the same.
00:15:07.60\00:15:09.40
Everything was
about the Word of God.
00:15:09.44\00:15:10.97
He saw it as
the final authority.
00:15:11.01\00:15:12.97
He could not
trust, the declarations,
00:15:13.01\00:15:15.48
and the edicts of the church.
00:15:15.51\00:15:17.45
He could not trust the words
of various priests and monks.
00:15:17.48\00:15:21.42
He realized the only
authority for what is truth,
00:15:21.45\00:15:24.22
and he'd studied
philosophy, he'd studied law,
00:15:24.25\00:15:26.59
he studied Augustine.
00:15:26.62\00:15:27.92
He studied everything.
00:15:27.96\00:15:29.26
Said, "The final word in life
has to be a book that is divine.
00:15:29.29\00:15:32.96
It's the Word of God."
00:15:32.99\00:15:34.73
So, everything Luther did
from that point was because
00:15:34.76\00:15:36.56
of his respect for the Bible.
00:15:36.60\00:15:38.60
Doug: Don't go
anywhere, friends.
00:15:39.93\00:15:42.34
In just a moment, we're
going to return for the rest
00:15:42.37\00:15:44.14
of today's presentation.
00:15:44.17\00:15:46.41
No other book in the Bible
has been more misunderstood
00:15:46.44\00:15:49.14
than the Book of Revelation.
00:15:49.18\00:15:51.75
Maybe you've even been
a little frustrated trying
00:15:51.78\00:15:53.68
to comprehend it on your own.
00:15:53.72\00:15:55.72
After all, the book is
filled with mysterious symbols,
00:15:55.75\00:15:58.12
ominous
predictions, and strange beasts.
00:15:58.15\00:16:01.49
Nevertheless, Jesus
did pronounce a blessing
00:16:01.52\00:16:04.56
on those who read and keep
the things written in this book.
00:16:04.59\00:16:08.46
Well, I've got good news,
the Book of Revelation can be
00:16:08.50\00:16:11.47
understood and we'd like to help
you experience that blessing.
00:16:11.50\00:16:16.10
"Amazing Facts" wants to send
you a powerful resource called
00:16:16.14\00:16:19.37
"Revelation: The
Bride, The Beast and Babylon."
00:16:19.41\00:16:23.11
It's a 60-minute documentary DVD
that reveals the true identity
00:16:23.14\00:16:27.48
of the beast
power in Revelation,
00:16:27.52\00:16:29.72
and it's a vivid
panorama of biblical history
00:16:29.75\00:16:32.09
from the time of
Christ to our present day.
00:16:32.12\00:16:34.92
This eye-opening feature, which
includes subtitles in many major
00:16:34.96\00:16:39.03
languages, will show
you how you can be ready
00:16:39.06\00:16:41.90
for the final
events of prophecy.
00:16:41.93\00:16:43.97
To get your free copy,
call the number on the screen
00:16:44.00\00:16:46.37
and ask for offer number
817, or visit the web address.
00:16:46.40\00:16:50.71
And after you read
this incredible resource,
00:16:50.74\00:16:52.91
make sure and
share it with a friend.
00:16:52.94\00:16:54.94
Well, let's return to today's
presentation and learn some more
00:16:54.98\00:16:58.08
amazing facts from the Word God.
00:16:58.11\00:17:00.68
Doug: On the Bible, Luther said,
00:17:02.55\00:17:04.15
"The Bible is alive.
00:17:04.19\00:17:06.09
It speaks to me.
00:17:06.12\00:17:07.42
It has feet, it runs after me.
00:17:07.46\00:17:09.56
It has hands, it
lays hold of me."
00:17:09.59\00:17:12.46
On church practices, "A
simple layman," he said,
00:17:12.49\00:17:15.66
"armed with the Scriptures is
to be believed above the Pope,
00:17:15.70\00:17:18.83
or Cardinal, or
Cardinal without it."
00:17:18.87\00:17:21.74
On human nature he
said, "Nothing is easier
00:17:21.77\00:17:24.27
than sinning."
00:17:24.31\00:17:26.51
And finally, when he saw
the abuses that were happening
00:17:26.54\00:17:28.74
in the church
compared with the Bible,
00:17:28.78\00:17:30.48
he said, "Someone needs
to speak up against this."
00:17:30.51\00:17:33.28
He realized the
church needs revival.
00:17:33.31\00:17:35.92
Now, right about this
time, the church was trying
00:17:35.95\00:17:39.35
to build St. Peter's
Basilica, which is today one of
00:17:39.39\00:17:42.39
the biggest churches, if not the
biggest church, in the world.
00:17:42.42\00:17:45.59
They needed a lot of money.
00:17:45.63\00:17:47.50
They were spending all the
money on the excesses of Rome
00:17:47.50\00:17:49.86
so they needed new revenue.
00:17:49.90\00:17:51.30
So, they thought, we'll
have a fundraising campaign.
00:17:51.33\00:17:53.47
They had a different kind
of capital campaign than we do.
00:17:53.50\00:17:56.24
They said, "We're
gonna sell licenses to sin."
00:17:56.27\00:17:58.97
Not only will you
sell a license to you,
00:17:59.01\00:18:01.38
and I've actually got documents
I could show you that have
00:18:01.41\00:18:03.85
price lists for various
sins, everything from adultery.
00:18:03.88\00:18:08.52
They had a price for murder.
00:18:08.55\00:18:10.92
They had a price list for
sin, that you can be forgiven.
00:18:10.95\00:18:14.02
You could purchase, in advance,
forgiveness for these things.
00:18:14.06\00:18:18.56
Not only that, you could
pay and have your former friends
00:18:18.59\00:18:22.93
and family, that may
have been total atheists,
00:18:22.96\00:18:25.77
to get them out of purgatory.
00:18:25.80\00:18:29.90
And this guy named
Tetzel, he came into Wittenberg
00:18:29.94\00:18:34.11
and he started to
tell people, "You know,
00:18:34.14\00:18:35.71
you come and we're
gonna start this fire here.
00:18:35.74\00:18:38.78
And you've got your loved ones."
00:18:38.81\00:18:40.28
And they had a big
bonfire and they said,
00:18:40.32\00:18:41.72
"Your loved ones are
burning the fires of purgatory,
00:18:41.75\00:18:43.28
but you can get
them out right now.
00:18:43.32\00:18:45.39
As soon as the money
in the coffer's ring,
00:18:45.42\00:18:49.46
a soul from purgatory
flings," or something like that.
00:18:49.49\00:18:52.53
Anyway, he had a
little poem, of course,
00:18:52.56\00:18:55.56
it was in German so I don't
know what the original was.
00:18:55.60\00:18:58.00
But he had all this,
this whole marketing program.
00:18:58.03\00:18:59.73
And everybody lined
up and they're buying
00:18:59.77\00:19:01.30
these indulgences.
00:19:01.34\00:19:02.64
And they're showing
up to Luther and saying,
00:19:02.67\00:19:03.97
"We don't have to confess
our sins anymore because I got--
00:19:04.01\00:19:05.31
I bought an indulgence.
00:19:05.34\00:19:07.81
I'm good to go.
00:19:07.84\00:19:09.68
I can sin all I want
now because I bought--"
00:19:09.71\00:19:12.45
You know, get out of jail
card, you ever play Monopoly?
00:19:12.48\00:19:15.22
It was your get
out of purgatory card.
00:19:15.25\00:19:19.69
And Luther said, "That's
not how you get forgiveness.
00:19:19.72\00:19:22.72
You must repent, you
must confess, you must turn."
00:19:22.76\00:19:25.59
And he was outraged.
00:19:25.63\00:19:27.03
And so, with all of this going
on across Europe and had come
00:19:27.03\00:19:28.93
to his own town, he
said, "Enough is enough,
00:19:28.96\00:19:31.63
we gotta talk about this.
00:19:31.67\00:19:32.97
This is unbiblical."
00:19:33.00\00:19:34.40
So, that's when he
took his Ninety-five Theses
00:19:34.44\00:19:36.27
and he named it, and
nailed it on the door.
00:19:36.30\00:19:38.34
Well, first he thought it
was just gonna be looked at
00:19:38.37\00:19:40.11
by the
theologians around the campus.
00:19:40.14\00:19:42.91
But, you know,
right about this time,
00:19:42.94\00:19:44.25
the printing press was invented.
00:19:44.28\00:19:46.35
Isn't that interesting?
00:19:46.38\00:19:47.98
It's like what, you
know, the internet now.
00:19:48.02\00:19:51.12
And some of the students
took his writings that were
00:19:51.15\00:19:53.22
in the Latin.
00:19:53.25\00:19:54.56
He just meant for
it to-- the priests,
00:19:54.59\00:19:56.29
he wanted to reform
among the leadership.
00:19:56.32\00:19:58.76
But instead, the students
translated it into the language
00:19:58.79\00:20:01.66
of the people, and they
got some of it to Gutenberg.
00:20:01.70\00:20:05.53
And all of a
sudden, Luther's writings,
00:20:05.57\00:20:07.77
the first book on a
printing press was the Bible.
00:20:07.80\00:20:09.84
But a lot of Luther's writings
were on the printing presses
00:20:09.87\00:20:12.07
that were being built now.
00:20:12.11\00:20:13.58
They began to go, not
only throughout Germany,
00:20:13.61\00:20:15.58
they began to go
overseas to England,
00:20:15.61\00:20:17.41
and to Sweden, and
all of a sudden everybody
00:20:17.45\00:20:20.75
was talking about it.
00:20:20.78\00:20:22.08
Then they told Luther,
"You gotta come to Rome,
00:20:22.12\00:20:24.09
answer for your charges."
00:20:24.12\00:20:25.42
He said, "I'm
not going to Rome."
00:20:25.45\00:20:27.26
And the Pope
would denounced him,
00:20:27.29\00:20:28.59
and he'd send a bull.
00:20:28.62\00:20:30.09
And Luther would
stand up in his town.
00:20:30.13\00:20:31.46
The bull was this
big letter from the Pope.
00:20:31.49\00:20:33.86
Luther would burn
the Pope's letter.
00:20:33.90\00:20:35.46
I mean, people were
aghast that he would have
00:20:35.50\00:20:37.27
the audacity to do that.
00:20:37.30\00:20:39.70
They were burning
his writings in Rome,
00:20:39.73\00:20:41.87
Luther said, "I'm gonna
burn your writings here."
00:20:41.90\00:20:44.94
He says, "I've got
the truth on my side."
00:20:44.97\00:20:47.01
And they were hurling
threats back and they said,
00:20:47.04\00:20:49.71
"You're excommunicated,
you're consigned to the flames,"
00:20:49.74\00:20:52.78
and just
everything about Luther.
00:20:52.81\00:20:55.15
But the people in the town
loved him, and the Germans,
00:20:55.18\00:20:57.12
they were getting
tired of being taxed by Rome.
00:20:57.15\00:21:00.36
They started to stand up
for Luther as their hero.
00:21:00.39\00:21:05.39
And pretty soon, he agrees
to go to this August assembly.
00:21:05.43\00:21:12.07
They say Worms, if you're
in Germany, I've been there.
00:21:12.10\00:21:14.90
It was all the princes.
00:21:14.94\00:21:16.27
It was a Holy Roman Empire then.
00:21:16.30\00:21:17.61
Europe was not divided
in the way it is today,
00:21:17.64\00:21:20.31
and the different
princes, and rulers,
00:21:20.34\00:21:22.74
and kings of the different
territories came to this
00:21:22.78\00:21:24.85
incredible gathering for the
purpose of letting this poor,
00:21:24.88\00:21:29.95
humble monk, who is born of a
father who was a copper miner,
00:21:29.98\00:21:35.86
and he's now going to speak
against the largest institution
00:21:35.89\00:21:39.36
in the world back then, which
was the Roman Catholic Church.
00:21:39.39\00:21:42.23
And here's the
actual answer of Luther,
00:21:42.26\00:21:46.67
and this was given to
the Diet of Worms in 1521.
00:21:46.70\00:21:50.17
You can see, he posted
his thing 1517, and so,
00:21:50.21\00:21:53.41
I'd been
spreading for several years.
00:21:53.44\00:21:56.51
"Since your majesty and your
lordships desire a simple reply,
00:21:56.54\00:21:59.18
I will answer without
horns and without teeth.
00:21:59.21\00:22:02.55
Unless I am convicted by
Scripture and plain reason--
00:22:02.58\00:22:05.75
I do not accept the authority of
popes and councils for they have
00:22:05.79\00:22:09.32
contradicted each
other-- my conscience is captive
00:22:09.36\00:22:11.96
to the Word of God.
00:22:11.99\00:22:13.50
I cannot and I will not
recant," in other words,
00:22:13.53\00:22:16.46
renounce what he had said.
00:22:16.50\00:22:18.20
"Anything, for to go against
conscience is neither right
00:22:18.23\00:22:21.00
nor safe.
00:22:21.04\00:22:22.57
God help me.
00:22:22.60\00:22:23.91
Amen."
00:22:23.94\00:22:25.94
He was something of a
modern-day Elijah that God used.
00:22:26.94\00:22:30.61
You see, Elijah was
a person, he appears
00:22:30.65\00:22:32.91
out of nowhere in history.
00:22:32.95\00:22:34.78
Doesn't talk about his
family, says very little about
00:22:35.45\00:22:38.02
where he's from, but there
was a time of great apostasy
00:22:38.05\00:22:41.99
had come to God's
people in the Old Testament.
00:22:42.02\00:22:44.83
You see, what happened is
the King Ahab, the government,
00:22:44.86\00:22:48.60
he married a
pagan Queen, Jezebel,
00:22:48.63\00:22:53.70
the daughter of Ithobaal,
00:22:53.74\00:22:55.90
the king of Sidonians
where they worship Baal.
00:22:55.94\00:23:00.04
And they began to replace the
worship of God with the worship
00:23:00.08\00:23:03.51
of Baal, and idolatry was
introduced in the kingdom.
00:23:03.55\00:23:07.08
And they sort of commingled
and corrupted the worship
00:23:07.12\00:23:10.52
of the true God.
00:23:10.55\00:23:12.45
Well, because of
this terrible apostasy,
00:23:12.49\00:23:14.82
God said that Ahab lead
the people to sin more than
00:23:14.86\00:23:18.46
any that were before him
because his wife spurned him on.
00:23:18.49\00:23:24.27
And Bible analogies, the king,
the government is the state,
00:23:24.30\00:23:27.90
a woman represent what?
00:23:27.94\00:23:30.74
Represents the church.
00:23:30.77\00:23:32.74
So here, you had the commingling
of the church and the state.
00:23:32.77\00:23:36.58
Jezebel began to
persecute the prophets of God.
00:23:36.61\00:23:40.92
They went underground, they
had to go into the wilderness,
00:23:40.95\00:23:43.45
they hid in caves.
00:23:43.49\00:23:45.95
And during this
time of great famine,
00:23:45.99\00:23:47.72
God finally instructed Elijah to
do something that was very bold.
00:23:47.76\00:23:51.73
He summoned the king.
00:23:51.76\00:23:54.23
He confronted the
king with his sins.
00:23:54.30\00:23:56.16
He said, "You
gather all of Israel to me,
00:23:56.20\00:23:58.17
and we're gonna find that
which god is the real God."
00:23:58.20\00:24:00.67
And there was an assembly
on top of Mount Carmel where
00:24:00.70\00:24:04.44
all the prophets of Baal,
there are about 400 of them.
00:24:04.47\00:24:07.44
By the way, you'll
read this in 1 Kings 18:22.
00:24:07.48\00:24:11.35
"Elijah said to the people,
'I alone am left of the prophet
00:24:11.38\00:24:14.42
of the Lord; but Baal's prophets
are four hundred and fifty men."
00:24:14.45\00:24:17.55
And he issued a challenge,
"How long will you halt
00:24:17.59\00:24:20.09
between two opinions?
00:24:20.12\00:24:21.72
If the lord of
Jehovah is God, worship him.
00:24:21.76\00:24:24.49
If Baal is God, worship him.
00:24:24.53\00:24:26.83
I have a proposition let's
see which God is the real God.
00:24:26.86\00:24:29.40
You build an altar to your god,
I'll build an altar to Jehovah.
00:24:29.43\00:24:32.40
Whichever god answers
by fire, he is the God.
00:24:32.43\00:24:37.11
Any moment, they
had been searching
00:24:37.14\00:24:38.51
all over the country for
Elijah because of the famine.
00:24:38.54\00:24:40.88
They had his
wanted poster everywhere.
00:24:40.91\00:24:43.75
Now suddenly, he boldly
appears in front of all of them,
00:24:43.78\00:24:46.41
and nobody dare touches him.
00:24:46.45\00:24:49.25
And he issues
this command, he said,
00:24:49.28\00:24:51.15
"Let's find out who
has the Word of God."
00:24:51.19\00:24:53.99
And then, you know, they
built their altar to Baal
00:24:54.02\00:24:56.22
and they sacrificed,
they danced, and sang,
00:24:56.26\00:24:58.53
and shouted all day
long, and they cut themselves
00:24:58.56\00:25:01.06
and carried on
and nothing but flies.
00:25:01.10\00:25:06.23
Elijah kneels down at the
end, and he prays a prayer,
00:25:06.27\00:25:09.70
takes 30 seconds.
00:25:09.74\00:25:11.97
He prays a prayer, a
simple, humble prayer and said,
00:25:12.01\00:25:14.18
"Lord God, show these people
that you are the true God.
00:25:14.21\00:25:16.48
Bring them back to
you again, and show that
00:25:16.51\00:25:18.58
I've done these
things at your Word."
00:25:18.61\00:25:20.38
And pow, lightning
flashes down like an arc welder
00:25:20.42\00:25:23.92
on the altar of Elijah,
burns up the sacrifices,
00:25:23.95\00:25:27.46
burns up the rocks, burns up
the water that was in the ditch.
00:25:27.49\00:25:31.83
And the people
fell down and said,
00:25:31.86\00:25:33.26
"The Lord, He is God.
00:25:33.29\00:25:34.60
The Lord, He is God."
00:25:34.73\00:25:36.46
And the prophets of Baal start
to slink away from the scene.
00:25:36.50\00:25:39.83
Elijah says, "Seize them,"
and all the prophets of Baal
00:25:39.87\00:25:43.47
were slain.
00:25:43.51\00:25:45.11
That one man had the courage
to stand up at the risk of
00:25:45.14\00:25:49.68
his life against an institution
that had been corrupt.
00:25:49.71\00:25:52.61
And it wasn't over
yet, but through Elijah,
00:25:52.65\00:25:55.32
and through Elisha,
and those that followed,
00:25:55.35\00:25:58.32
a revival was brought
about a Great Reformation.
00:25:58.35\00:26:02.39
Are the principles of
the Reformation under attack
00:26:02.42\00:26:04.49
right now?
00:26:04.53\00:26:06.03
What's changed?
00:26:06.06\00:26:08.46
Does the Catholic Church
still believe in indulgences?
00:26:08.50\00:26:11.17
They do.
00:26:11.20\00:26:12.90
They still offer them.
00:26:12.93\00:26:14.24
Pope Francis offered a
year of mercy and indulgence.
00:26:14.27\00:26:17.87
Do they still have
idols that they pray to?
00:26:17.91\00:26:21.24
Do they still have purgatory?
00:26:21.28\00:26:23.68
Do they still venerate Mary?
00:26:23.71\00:26:26.11
If you go to the--do
they still celebrate the mass
00:26:26.15\00:26:28.58
and say they've got
the power to turn the bread
00:26:28.62\00:26:30.42
into the body of Christ?
00:26:30.45\00:26:31.85
If you go to what the
issues were that the reformers
00:26:31.89\00:26:34.82
protested against, none
of them have been changed,
00:26:34.86\00:26:38.69
and the Protestant
leaders are capitulating,
00:26:38.73\00:26:41.53
they're
surrendering, and accepting
00:26:41.56\00:26:44.13
Baal worship, basically.
00:26:44.17\00:26:47.24
God needs more Elijahs today.
00:26:47.27\00:26:50.24
You know, the
Bible says, "Behold,
00:26:50.27\00:26:51.57
I send you Elijah the Prophet."
00:26:51.61\00:26:53.34
Not only did John the
Baptist come in the spirit
00:26:53.38\00:26:55.88
and the power of
Elijah, Martin Luther
00:26:55.91\00:26:59.21
and many reformers did
the work of Elijah and Elisha.
00:26:59.25\00:27:03.15
But Jesus isn't here yet.
00:27:03.18\00:27:05.29
Just before Christ even
simultaneous with Christ's
00:27:05.32\00:27:08.79
first coming, John the
baptist was doing his work.
00:27:08.82\00:27:11.23
I believe God is looking for
people that will do the work of
00:27:11.26\00:27:14.30
Elijah in the world today that
will speak up boldly and say,
00:27:14.30\00:27:19.07
"This is what the Bible says.
00:27:19.10\00:27:20.57
It doesn't matter
what the church says.
00:27:20.60\00:27:22.47
It doesn't matter
what the world is doing.
00:27:22.50\00:27:24.37
Man is gonna live by
every word that proceeds
00:27:24.41\00:27:26.91
from the mouth of God."
00:27:26.94\00:27:28.24
We need to have
another Reformation.
00:27:28.28\00:27:30.01
We need to be
willing to stand like Luther.
00:27:30.05\00:27:33.58
He wasn't afraid of
what was gonna happen to him.
00:27:33.62\00:27:36.35
He was more concerned
what would happen to the truth
00:27:36.38\00:27:39.32
'cause truth never dies.
00:27:39.35\00:27:40.86
announcer: Don't
forget to request today's
00:27:45.49\00:27:47.00
life-changing free resource.
00:27:47.03\00:27:48.90
Not only can you receive
this free gift in the mail,
00:27:48.93\00:27:50.83
you can download a digital
copy straight to your computer
00:27:50.87\00:27:53.20
or mobile device.
00:27:53.23\00:27:54.97
To get your digital
copy of today's free gift,
00:27:55.00\00:27:57.64
simply text the keyword
on your screen to 40544,
00:27:57.67\00:28:01.81
or visit the web
address shown on your screen.
00:28:01.84\00:28:04.61
And be sure to select
the digital download option
00:28:04.65\00:28:07.08
on the request page.
00:28:07.12\00:28:08.62
announcer: And thank you
for your continued support as
00:28:12.59\00:28:14.39
we take the gospel of
Jesus Christ to the world.
00:28:14.42\00:28:17.76
We hope you'll join us
next week as we delve deep
00:28:17.79\00:28:20.43
into the Word of God.
00:28:20.46\00:28:21.76
announcer: This
presentation was brought to you
00:28:25.47\00:28:26.77
by the friends of the
Amazing Facts Ministry.
00:28:26.80\00:28:29.64