When talking about faith, one should know that in its basic form it is an abstract concept and only takes on a real form in connection with a work, action, task, thought process, etc.
What was special about Abraham's faith? Like many others, he also believed in the existence of the only, true, almighty God, who is love personified. He believed that this God is the creator of all nature, the entire cosmos, all moral and natural laws, as well as the powerful preserver of all of it.
The special thing about Abraham's faith was that he had unlimited trust in this God.
For example, God asked him to leave his safe home, his large family and many acquaintances and move to a completely foreign and unknown country. With unlimited obedience and trust, Abraham followed this extremely difficult call from God.
He also believed God in a controversial request that apparently went against his common sense. Despite God's promise to multiply his descendants like the stars in the sky, in his very old age he was to offer his only son as a sacrifice made by fire.
This was not just an act of sacrifice, but was associated with laborious and considerable work. He had to prepare for a three-day journey, provided with wood, fire, cord, knife and a servant. Along the way he certainly struggled with what God required of him. “Was it really the voice of his God that he had heard?” Because his God demanded something that only the Gentiles did – sacrifice their children to their idol, Moloch. He was definitely torn between this request. Isn't faith alone enough? Do concrete works also have to accompany faith? This must have been a hard battle for Abraham's faith. Abraham persevered conscientiously in this very difficult challenge.
The doctor of theology, Martin Luther, came into history as a great reformer of his Catholic Church. How did that happen? From childhood he took his piety very seriously. In the church of his time there was a wide range of forms of piety: fasting, pilgrimage, prayer, adoration of saints, veneration of relics, mortification and much more. Although he received a pious upbringing in his father's house and faithfully practiced his faith in his life, he - like many people of his time - was very afraid of the fire of hell and the strict, punishing God.
The late Middle Ages was a particularly “pious” era. Active veneration of the saints was very popular. As was customary at the time, Luther made a pilgrimage to Rome to visit the graves of Peter and Paul and to take part in many masses. There he also walked the “Holy Stairs” on which (allegedly) Jesus was led to his judge Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, on his knees in complete humility. He wrote about it:
“So I (Martin Luther) wanted to save my grandfather from purgatory in Rome, went up the stairs, prayed an Our Father on each of 28 steps... But when I got to the top, the thought came to me: Who knows whether it's true is?"
Impressed by the effect that the doctrine of indulgences had on poor people who were willing to pay a lot of money for them, he sought to study the Holy Scriptures more closely. He discovered that salvation is a free gift from God that frees the believer from the burden of his guilt.
When he later translated the Bible into German, he added a crucial word to the verse in Romans 3,28:XNUMX: “So we hold that a man becomes righteous apart from the works of the law, alone through faith.” This term “alone” is missing in the basic Greek text.
The Martin Luther translation has dire consequences! – The law of God was gradually weakened. People go so far as to claim that the Lord Jesus brought the commandments of God to the cross and left them there. But since it's completely illogical, you start to juggle something like: "Well, you're not allowed to kill, steal, fornicate, etc., but that's obviously even without a law. What nonsense!
The first four commandments are particularly badly affected because they are not humane commandments. Without these commandments, you can have multiple gods, ignore God's name, make Him a sidekick, and trash Him by disregarding the Sabbath rest, which is a sign of God.
While it is true that a law was carried on the cross, it was the ceremonial law. A law for animal sacrifice that pointed to the death of the Lord Jesus.
A doctrine was developed that is now very emphasized in theology: it is claimed that alone to be saved by the grace of God. You can save yourself nothing contribute to it, not even a grain of your own merit!
It goes so far that if one does not believe this on the basis of this above statement: “To be righteous through faith alone,” it is called blasphemy against God. The Bible says: “Through Him we are redeemed.” (1 Corinthians 1,30:1,14; Colossians 1,30:XNUMX; Ephesians XNUMX:XNUMX).
But the Bible also has these statements: “Are we, by making everything dependent on faith, abolishing the law? Absolutely not! The opposite is the case: this is the only way we really bring the law into effect.” (Romans 3,31:XNUMX/NGV) “So you see that faith alone not enough; A person is only declared righteous by God if his faith is also Taten brings forth.” (Jacob 2,24:XNUMX / GNU)
The starting point, both for indulgences and for grace, is an offense against a valid law, viewed biblically: a disregard for God's moral law - His Ten Commandments.
Confession and indulgence are a strangely common form of cleansing from sins in the Catholic Church.
“Then he said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I also send you. After these words he breathed on them and said to them: Receive the Holy Spirit. Whoever you forgive the sins of, they are forgiven, and whoever you retain, they are retained." (John 20,21:23-XNUMX) In order to understand this statement correctly, this verse must be linked to another verse become:
“And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive them to you; But if you do not forgive them to men, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6,1214.15:XNUMX, XNUMX)
Accordingly, there are two types of forgiveness: a personal one – “from man to man” – and a general one, which only God Almighty can perform.
With all seriousness, God told the first humans, Adam and Eve, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die!” (Genesis 1:2,16.17)
Because God has no pleasure in the death of a sinner, they did not die the same day they ate the forbidden fruit, they were pardoned. It was the love of God that gave them a chance, combined with a long period of time, for conversion. “As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked should turn from his way and live. Repent, turn from your evil ways! Why do you want to die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33,11:XNUMX) This stands as an enduring, present truth at all times. Nevertheless, the pardoned Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden immediately and ultimately, after many hundreds of years, die.
So the grace of God is relatively relative. “Then Elijah stood before all the people and said, How long do you want limping on both sides? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if it is Baal, follow him. And the people did not say a word to him. (1 Kings 18,21:XNUMX)
God Almighty said: “… make yourselves a new heart and a new mind. Because why do you want to die, you from the house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 18,31:51,12) This verse contradicts: "Create for me, O God, a pure heart and give me anew a firm spirit within me! (Psalm XNUMX:XNUMX)
What now? God said: “Make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit”, again man said: “God do it!” If God said: “Do it!” then it must be possible for man; unless he is lazy. How is the whole thing to be understood?
Illustrative examples: I bake bread - God blesses it for health. I read the Bible - God gives me the right understanding. I am completing a healing treatment - God is allowing it to work. etc. etc. This cooperation is crucially important for humans.
Why does God want cooperation? “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD. So turn back, that you may live! (Ezekiel 18,32:XNUMX)