God ' s faithful servants because they will stand fearlessly in defense of the truth ! Men who are but agents of Satan are praised and flattered , and even looked upon as martyrs , while those who should be respected and sustained for their fidelity to God , are left to stand alone , under suspicion and distrust .
Counterfeit holiness , spurious sanctification , is still doing its work of deception . Under various forms it exhibits the same spirit as in the days of Luther , diverting minds from the Scriptures and leading men to follow their own feelings and impressions rather than to yield obedience to the law of God . This is one of Satan ' s most successful devices to cast reproach upon purity and truth . Fearlessly did Luther defend the gospel from the attacks which came from every quarter . The word of God proved itself a weapon mighty in every conflict . With that word he warred against the usurped authority of the pope , and the rationalistic philosophy of the schoolmen , while he stood firm as a rock against the fanaticism that sought to ally itself with the Reformation .
Each of these opposing elements was in its own way setting aside the Holy Scriptures and exalting human wisdom as the source of religious truth and knowledge . Rationalism idolizes reason and makes this the criterion for religion . Romanism , claiming for her sovereign pontiff an inspiration descended in unbroken line from the apostles , and unchangeable through all time , gives ample opportunity for every species of extravagance and corruption to be concealed under the sanctity of the apostolic commission . The inspiration claimed by Munzer and his associates proceeded from no higher source than the vagaries of the imagination , and its influence was subversive of all authority , human or divine . True Christianity receives the word of God as the great treasure house of inspired truth and the test of all inspiration .
Upon his return from the Wartburg , Luther completed his translation of the New Testament , and the gospel was soon after given to the people of Germany in their own language . This translation was received with great joy by all who loved the truth ; but it was scornfully rejected by those who chose human traditions and the commandments of men . The priests were alarmed at the thought that the common people would now be able to discuss with them the precepts of God ' s word , and that their own ignorance would thus be exposed . The weapons of their carnal reasoning were powerless against the sword of the Spirit .
Rome summoned all her authority to prevent the circulation of the Scriptures ; but decrees , anathemas , and tortures were alike in vain . The more she condemned and prohibited the Bible , the greater was the anxiety of the people to know what it really taught . All who could read were eager to study the word of God for themselves . They carried it about with them , and read and reread , and could not be satisfied until they had committed large portions to memory . Seeing the favour with which the New Testament was received , Luther immediately began the translation of the Old , and published it in parts as fast as completed .
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