BobVigneault
Bawberator
Luther was against going to Marburg. He believed doctrinal purity was far more important than political peace. More than 50 representatives of the reformation would be there. Melancthon finally convinced him to go.
Zwingli opened in prayer. "Fill us, O Lord and Father of us all, we beseech Thee, with thy gentle Spirit, and dispel on both sides all the clouds of misunderstanding and passion. Make an end to the strife of blind fury...Guard us against abusing our powers, and enable us to employ them with all earnestness for the promotion of holiness." What a beautiful prayer. I echo and repeat this prayer for those of us who meet in this cyber community.
The colloquy managed by God's grace to work through 14 out of 15 important points of church doctrine. It appeared that protestantism would be wonderfully harmonized and the reformed church would be a united church.
But God's plan cannot be thwarted. Luther and Zwingli agreed on 14 significant points of doctrine and they both rejected the Romanist doctrine of transubstantiation and the sacrificial mass.
But Zwingli said the elements of the Lord's supper were symbolic. Luther, grabbing a piece of chalk, wrote across the table, "The body of Christ". He would entertain no further argument. Luther would not accept Zwingli's hand and later said, "I would rather drink blood with the Pope, than mere wine with the Swiss."
Your heart of hearts is now telling you to take sides with one of these two men. But that is not necessary. They were both good men, they were both godly men and they were both used mightily of the Lord to build his church and re-establish the Gospel.
Protestantism remained divided after that day in Marburg. Protestantism is still divided as evidenced on this board. But the individual members of this board are not members of factions, we are members of the reformed church. We stand on the shoulders of Luther and Zwingli, Melancthon and Calvin. We stand on this truth - Jesus said, 'I will build my church."
Disagreement did not stop the reformation and neither man would turn away from his conviction for the sake of political practicality. The church must always be reforming and Paul exhorts us to 'let each man be fully convinced in his own mind'. Disagreement is as much a part of reformation as the doctrines of sovereign grace are. We must disagree,however, as brothers and sisters, children of the King. We must be tempered by the love of Christ and moderated by the fruit of the spirit. God will continue to work through our diversity or perhaps a better word would be our 'mixture'.
Do not be discouraged by disagreement. Godly men like Luther and Zwingli, Paul and Barnabas disagreed but the church continued to grow. God's plan cannot be thwarted. Let's continue to be parts of the mixture, not elements of division.
Zwingli opened in prayer. "Fill us, O Lord and Father of us all, we beseech Thee, with thy gentle Spirit, and dispel on both sides all the clouds of misunderstanding and passion. Make an end to the strife of blind fury...Guard us against abusing our powers, and enable us to employ them with all earnestness for the promotion of holiness." What a beautiful prayer. I echo and repeat this prayer for those of us who meet in this cyber community.
The colloquy managed by God's grace to work through 14 out of 15 important points of church doctrine. It appeared that protestantism would be wonderfully harmonized and the reformed church would be a united church.
But God's plan cannot be thwarted. Luther and Zwingli agreed on 14 significant points of doctrine and they both rejected the Romanist doctrine of transubstantiation and the sacrificial mass.
But Zwingli said the elements of the Lord's supper were symbolic. Luther, grabbing a piece of chalk, wrote across the table, "The body of Christ". He would entertain no further argument. Luther would not accept Zwingli's hand and later said, "I would rather drink blood with the Pope, than mere wine with the Swiss."
Your heart of hearts is now telling you to take sides with one of these two men. But that is not necessary. They were both good men, they were both godly men and they were both used mightily of the Lord to build his church and re-establish the Gospel.
Protestantism remained divided after that day in Marburg. Protestantism is still divided as evidenced on this board. But the individual members of this board are not members of factions, we are members of the reformed church. We stand on the shoulders of Luther and Zwingli, Melancthon and Calvin. We stand on this truth - Jesus said, 'I will build my church."
Disagreement did not stop the reformation and neither man would turn away from his conviction for the sake of political practicality. The church must always be reforming and Paul exhorts us to 'let each man be fully convinced in his own mind'. Disagreement is as much a part of reformation as the doctrines of sovereign grace are. We must disagree,however, as brothers and sisters, children of the King. We must be tempered by the love of Christ and moderated by the fruit of the spirit. God will continue to work through our diversity or perhaps a better word would be our 'mixture'.
Do not be discouraged by disagreement. Godly men like Luther and Zwingli, Paul and Barnabas disagreed but the church continued to grow. God's plan cannot be thwarted. Let's continue to be parts of the mixture, not elements of division.
