Martin Luther's 95th Thesis

95. And let them thus be more confident of entering heaven through many tribulations rather than through a false assurance of peace.

Martin Luther's 94th Thesis

94. Christians should be exhorted to be zealous to follow Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hells.

Martin Luther's 93rd Thesis

93. Hail, hail to all those prophets who say to Christ's people, "The cross, the cross," where there is no cross.

Martin Luther's 92nd Thesis

92. Away, then, with those prophets who say to Christ's people, "Peace, peace," where in there is no peace.

Martin Luther's 91st Thesis

91. If therefore, indulgences were preached in accordance with the spirit and mind of the pope, all these difficulties would be easily overcome, and indeed, cease to exist.

Martin Luther's 90th Thesis

90. These questions are serious matters of conscience to the laity. To suppress them by force alone, and not to refute them by giving reasons, is to expose the church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies, and to make Christian people unhappy.

Martin Luther's 89th Thesis

89. What the pope seeks by indulgences is not money, but rather the salvation of souls; why then does he suspend the letters and indulgences formerly conceded, and still as efficacious as ever?

Martin Luther's 88th Thesis

88. Again: Surely a greater good could be done to the church if the pope were to bestow these remissions and dispensations, not once, as now, but a hundred times a day, for the benefit of any believer whatever.

Martin Luther's 87th Thesis

87. Again: What does the pope remit or dispense to people who, by their perfect repentance, have a right to plenary remission or dispensation?

Martin Luther's 86th Thesis

86. Again: since the pope's income to-day is larger than that of the wealthiest of wealthy men, why does he not build this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of indigent believers?

Martin Luther's 85th Thesis

85. Again: Why are the penitential canon laws, which in fact, if not in practice, have long been obsolete and dead in themselves,—why are they, to-day, still used in imposing fines in money, through the granting of indulgences, as if all the penitential canons were fully operative?

Martin Luther's 84th Thesis

84. Again: Surely this is a new sort of compassion, on the part of God and the pope, when an impious man, an enemy of God, is allowed to pay money to redeem a devout soul, a friend of God; while yet that devout and beloved soul is not allowed to be redeemed without payment, for love's sake, and just because of its need of redemption.

Martin Luther's 83rd Thesis

83. Again: Why should funeral and anniversary masses for the dead continue to be said? And why does not the pope repay, or permit to be repaid, the benefactions instituted for these purposes, since it is wrong to pray for those souls who are now redeemed?

Martin Luther's 82nd Thesis

82. They ask, e.g.: Why does not the pope liberate everyone from purgatory for the sake of love (a most holy thing) and because of the supreme necessity of their souls? This would be morally the best of all reasons. Meanwhile he redeems innumerable souls for money, a most perishable thing, with which to build St. Peter's church, a very minor purpose.

Martin Luther's 81st Thesis

81. This unbridled preaching of indulgences makes it difficult for learned men to guard the respect due to the pope against false accusations, or at least from the keen criticisms of the laity.

Martin Luther's 80th Thesis

80. The bishops, curates, and theologians, who permit assertions of that kind to be made to the people without let or hindrance, will have to answer for it.

Martin Luther's 79th Thesis

79. It is blasphemy to say that the insignia of the cross with the papal arms are of equal value to the cross on which Christ died.

Martin Luther's 78th Thesis

78. We assert the contrary, and say that he, and any pope whatever, possesses greater graces, viz., the gospel, spiritual powers, gifts of healing, etc., as is declared in I Corinthians 12 [:28].

Martin Luther's 77th Thesis

77. When it is said that not even St. Peter, if he were now pope, could grant a greater grace, it is blasphemy against St. Peter and the pope.

Martin Luther's 76th Thesis

76. We assert the contrary, and say that the pope's pardons are not able to remove the least venial of sins as far as their guilt is concerned.

Martin Luther's 75th Thesis

75. It is foolish to think that papal indulgences have so much power that they can absolve a man even if he has done the impossible and violated the mother of God.

Martin Luther's 74th Thesis

74. It is much more in keeping with his views to excommunicate those who use the pretext of indulgences to plot anything to the detriment of holy love and truth.

Martin Luther's 73rd Thesis

73. In the same way, the pope rightly excommunicates those who make any plans to the detriment of the trade in indulgences.

Martin Luther's 72nd Thesis

72. On the other hand, let him be blessed who is on his guard against the wantonness and license of the pardon-merchant's words.

Martin Luther's 71st Thesis

71. Let him be anathema and accursed who denies the apostolic character of the indulgences.

Martin Luther's 70th Thesis

70. But they are under a much greater obligation to watch closely and attend carefully lest these men preach their own fancies instead of what the pope commissioned.

Martin Luther's 69th Thesis

69. Bishops and curates, in duty bound, must receive the commissaries of the papal indulgences with all reverence.

Martin Luther's 68th Thesis

68. Nevertheless, they are not to be compared with the grace of God and the compassion shown in the Cross.

Martin Luther's 67th Thesis

67. The indulgences, which the merchants extol as the greatest of favours, are seen to be, in fact, a favourite means for money-getting.

Martin Luther's 66th Thesis

66. The treasures of the indulgences are the nets which to-day they use to fish for the wealth of men.

Martin Luther's 65th Thesis

65. Therefore the treasures of the gospel are nets which, in former times, they used to fish for men of wealth.

Martin Luther's 64th Thesis

64. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is most acceptable, for it makes the last to be the first.

Martin Luther's 63rd Thesis

63. It is right to regard this treasure as most odious, for it makes the first to be the last.

Martin Luther's 62nd Thesis

62. The true treasure of the church is the Holy gospel of the glory and the grace of God.

Martin Luther's 61st Thesis

61. For it is clear that the power of the pope suffices, by itself, for the remission of penalties and reserved cases.

Martin Luther's 60th Thesis

60. We do not speak rashly in saying that the treasures of the church are the keys of the church, and are bestowed by the merits of Christ.

Martin Luther's 59th Thesis

59. St. Laurence said that the poor were the treasures of the church, but he used the term in accordance with the custom of his own time.

Martin Luther's 58th Thesis

58. Nor are they the merits of Christ and the saints, because, even apart from the pope, these merits are always working grace in the inner man, and working the cross, death, and hell in the outer man.

Martin Luther's 57th Thesis

57. That these treasures are not temporal are clear from the fact that many of the merchants do not grant them freely, but only collect them.

Martin Luther's 56th Thesis

56. The treasures of the church, out of which the pope dispenses indulgences, are not sufficiently spoken of or known among the people of Christ.

Martin Luther's 55th Thesis

55. The pope cannot help taking the view that if indulgences (very small matters) are celebrated by one bell, one pageant, or one ceremony, the gospel (a very great matter) should be preached to the accompaniment of a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.

Martin Luther's 54th Thesis

54. The word of God suffers injury if, in the same sermon, an equal or longer time is devoted to indulgences than to that word.

Martin Luther's 53rd Thesis

53. Those are enemies of Christ and the pope who forbid the word of God to be preached at all in some churches, in order that indulgences may be preached in others.

Martin Luther's 52nd Thesis

52. It is vain to rely on salvation by letters of indulgence, even if the commissary, or indeed the pope himself, were to pledge his own soul for their validity.

Martin Luther's 51st Thesis

51. Christians should be taught that the pope would be willing, as he ought if necessity should arise, to sell the church of St. Peter, and give, too, his own money to many of those from whom the pardon-merchants conjure money.

Martin Luther's 50th Thesis

50. Christians should be taught that, if the pope knew the exactions of the indulgence-preachers, he would rather the church of St. Peter were reduced to ashes than be built with the skin, flesh, and bones of the sheep.

Martin Luther's 49th Thesis

49. Christians should be taught that the pope's indulgences are useful only if one does not rely on them, but most harmful if one loses the fear of God through them.

Martin Luther's 48th Thesis

48. Christians should be taught that, in granting indulgences, the pope has more need, and more desire, for devout prayer on his own behalf than for ready money.

Martin Luther's 47th Thesis

47. Christians should be taught that they purchase indulgences voluntarily, and are not under obligation to do so.

Martin Luther's 46th Thesis

46. Christians should be taught that, unless they have more than they need, they are bound to retain what is only necessary for the upkeep of their home, and should in no way squander it on indulgences.

Martin Luther's 45th Thesis

45. Christians should be taught that he who sees a needy person, but passes him by although he gives money for indulgences, gains no benefit from the pope's pardon, but only incurs the wrath of God.

Martin Luther's 44th Thesis

44. Because, by works of love, love grows and a man becomes a better man; whereas, by indulgences, he does not become a better man, but only escapes certain penalties.

Martin Luther's 43rd Thesis

43. Christians should be taught that one who gives to the poor, or lends to the needy, does a better action than if he purchases indulgences.

Martin Luther's 42nd Thesis

42. Christians should be taught that the pope does not at all intend that the purchase of indulgences should be understood as at all comparable with the works of mercy.

Martin Luther's 41st Thesis

41. Papal indulgences should only be preached with caution, lest people gain a wrong understanding, and think that they are preferable to other good works: those of love.

Martin Luther's 40th Thesis

40. A truly contrite sinner seeks out, and loves to pay, the penalties of his sins; whereas the very multitude of indulgences dulls men's consciences, and tends to make them hate the penalties.

Martin Luther's 39th Thesis

39. It is very difficult, even for the most learned theologians, to extol to the people the great bounty contained in the indulgences, while, at the same time, praising contrition as a virtue.

Martin Luther's 38th Thesis

38. Yet the pope's remission and dispensation are in no way to be despised, for, as already said, they proclaim the divine remission.

Martin Luther's 37th Thesis

37. Any true Christian whatsoever, living or dead, participates in all the benefits of Christ and the Church; and this participation is granted to him by God without letters of indulgence.

Martin Luther's 36th Thesis

36. Any Christian whatsoever, who is truly repentant, enjoys plenary remission from penalty and guilt, and this is given him without letters of indulgence.

Martin Luther's 35th Thesis

35. It is not in accordance with Christian doctrines to preach and teach that those who buy off souls, or purchase confessional licenses, have no need to repent of their own sins.

Martin Luther's 34th Thesis

34. For the grace conveyed by these indulgences relates simply to the penalties of the sacramental "satisfactions" decreed merely by man.

Martin Luther's 33rd Thesis

33. We should be most carefully on our guard against those who say that the papal indulgences are an inestimable divine gift, and that a man is reconciled to God by them.

Martin Luther's 32nd Thesis

32. All those who believe themselves certain of their own salvation by means of letters of indulgence, will be eternally damned, together with their teachers.

Martin Luther's 31st Thesis

31. One who bona fide buys indulgence is a rare as a bona fide penitent man, i.e. very rare indeed.

Martin Luther's 30th Thesis

30. No one is sure of the reality of his own contrition, much less of receiving plenary forgiveness.

Martin Luther's 29th Thesis

29. Who knows whether all souls in purgatory wish to be redeemed in view of what is said of St. Severinus and St. Pascal? (Note: Paschal I, pope 817-24. The legend is that he and Severinus were willing to endure the pains of purgatory for the benefit of the faithful).

Martin Luther's 28th Thesis

28. It is certainly possible that when the money clinks in the bottom of the chest avarice and greed increase; but when the church offers intercession, all depends in the will of God.

Martin Luther's 27th Thesis

27. There is no divine authority for preaching that the soul flies out of the purgatory immediately the money clinks in the bottom of the chest.

Martin Luther's 26th Thesis

26. The pope does excellently when he grants remission to the souls in purgatory on account of intercessions made on their behalf, and not by the power of the keys (which he cannot exercise for them).

Martin Luther's 25th Thesis

25. The same power as the pope exercises in general over purgatory is exercised in particular by every single bishop in his bishopric and priest in his parish.

Martin Luther's 24th Thesis

24. It must therefore be the case that the major part of the people are deceived by that indiscriminate and high-sounding promise of relief from penalty.

Martin Luther's 23rd Thesis

23. If plenary remission could be granted to anyone at all, it would be only in the cases of the most perfect, i.e. to very few.

Martin Luther's 22nd Thesis

22. Indeed, he cannot remit to souls in purgatory any penalty which canon law declares should be suffered in the present life.

Martin Luther's 21st Thesis

21. Hence those who preach indulgences are in error when they say that a man is absolved and saved from every penalty by the pope's indulgences.

Martin Luther's 20th Thesis

20. Therefore the pope, in speaking of the plenary remission of all penalties, does not mean "all" in the strict sense, but only those imposed by himself.

Martin Luther's 19th Thesis

19. Nor does it seem proved to be always the case that they are certain and assured of salvation, even if we are very certain ourselves.

Martin Luther's 18th Thesis

18. Moreover, it does not seem proved, on any grounds of reason or Scripture, that these souls are outside the state of merit, or unable to grow in grace.

Martin Luther's 17th Thesis

17. Of a truth, the pains of souls in purgatory ought to be abated, and charity ought to be proportionately increased.

Martin Luther's 16th Thesis

16. There seems to be the same difference between hell, purgatory, and heaven as between despair, uncertainty, and assurance.

Martin Luther's 15th Thesis

15. This fear or horror is sufficient in itself, whatever else might be said, to constitute the pain of purgatory, since it approaches very closely to the horror of despair.

Martin Luther's 14th Thesis

14. Defective piety or love in a dying person is necessarily accompanied by great fear, which is greatest where the piety or love is least.

Martin Luther's 13th Thesis

13. Death puts an end to all the claims of the Church; even the dying are already dead to the canon laws, and are no longer bound by them.

Martin Luther's 12th Thesis

12. In former days, the canonical penalties were imposed, not after, but before absolution was pronounced; and were intended to be tests of true contrition.

Martin Luther's 11th Thesis

11. When canonical penalties were changed and made to apply to purgatory, surely it would seem that tares were sown while the bishops were asleep.

Martin Luther's 10th Thesis

10. It is a wrongful act, due to ignorance, when priests retain the canonical penalties on the dead in purgatory.

Martin Luther's 9th Thesis

9. Accordingly, the Holy Spirit, acting in the person of the pope, manifests grace to us, by the fact that the papal regulations always cease to apply at death, or in any hard case.

Martin Luther's 8th Thesis

8. The penitential canons apply only to men who are still alive, and, according to the canons themselves, none applies to the dead.

Martin Luther's 7th Thesis

7. God never remits guilt to anyone without, at the same time, making him humbly submissive to the priest, His representative.

Martin Luther's 6th Thesis

6. The pope himself cannot remit guilt, but only declare and confirm that it has been remitted by God; or, at most, he can remit it in cases reserved to his discretion. Except for these cases, the guilt remains untouched.

Martin Luther's 5th Thesis

5. The pope has neither the will nor the power to remit any penalties beyond those imposed either at his own discretion or by canon law.

Martin Luther's 4th Thesis

4. As long as hatred of self abides (i.e. true inward repentance) the penalty of sin abides, viz., until we enter the kingdom of heaven.

Martin Luther's 3rd Thesis

3. Yet its meaning is not restricted to repentance in one's heart; for such repentance is null unless it produces outward signs in various mortifications of the flesh.

Martin Luther's 2nd Thesis

2. The word cannot be properly understood as referring to the sacrament of penance, i.e. confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy.

Martin Luther's 1st Thesis

Out of love and concern for the truth, and with the object of eliciting it, the following heads will be the subject of a public discussion at Wittenberg under the presidency of the reverend father, Martin Luther, Augustinian, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and duly appointed Lecturer on these subjects in that place. He requests that whoever cannot be present personally to debate the matter orally will do so in absence in writing.

1. When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said "Repent", He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.

Is it Time to Put "Justification by Faith" to Rest?

Our Thesis is stated here:

Justification by Allegiance . com

The book of James gives us a Biblical doctrine of "Justification by Works." Luther called the book of James "an epistle of straw." Luther's doctrine of "Justification by Faith" was threatened in some way by James' doctrine of "Justification by Works."

If your doctrine is threatened by the Bible, that does not bode well for your doctrine.

Luther was not so bad that a caricature is justified:

Six Points On Luther's "Epistle of Straw"

And it's easy to get lost in the fine points of detailed hair-splitting theological debate.

So if we can avoid those two extremes, the point of this blog-argument is that too many Christians ignore Biblical works and rest on a false "faith." If Luther could travel through time to our day, I think he would agree.

Let's look first at Luther's famous "95 Theses," and then we'll get into some detail on this new idea of "Justification by Allegiance."

As you read each one of Luther's Theses, ask yourself if these Theses in general and this Thesis in particular is the answer to today's bleary Christendom. I don't think so. Please leave a comment on each of Luther's Theses.