Address to the Christian Nobility of the German NationsEssay Preview: Address to the Christian Nobility of the German NationsReport this essayAddress to the Christian Nobility of the German NationsChristianity at this period in time was not something that was very reliable. When thinking of religion, one should trust the members that dedicate their lives to it; they shouldnt question their authority, right? That should be the case, but Martin Luther thought otherwise. At this time there some disputes about how trusting the members of the Christian faith, and it took a man named Martin Luther to call them out. Luther brought attention to this problem, and broadcasted it into the public in order to make a change. He wrote the, Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation,which informed the people of the Roman Catholic faith what a corrupt system they were falling for. The attitude that is portrayed in this address is concern. Luther seems generally concerned not only for the well being of other individuals, but for the well being of his country too.
Luther describes in the introduction of his address that what the church is doing is “throwing the kings into confusion.” (520). This confusion Luther is talking about must be referring to confusion Kings have about the authority they have as ruler. If the church authority talks about what is wrong and right according to God, this confuses the King on what he should or should not do, and whether he can or cannot do it.
Luther organizes these thoughts into three “walls” that all deal with different issues within the corrupt church system. He titles them as The Three Walls of the Romanists. These walls describe how the church has, “drawn three walls round themselves, with which they have hitherto protected themselves, so that no one could reform them, whereby all Christendom has fallen terribly.” (520). Martin Luther sternly believes that the Catholic church is evil, and is antichrist. He states that they must, “set free our Christian rods for the chastisement of sin, and expose the craft and deceit of the devil, so that we may amend ourselves by punishment and again obtain Gods favour.” (521). His attacks on each wall are filled with quotes from the Pope, God, and other religious references.
The First Wall-That the Temporal Power Has No Jurisdiction over the Spirituality, clearly attacks what is called the “spiritual estates,” and their relationship with what is called the “temporal estates.” (521). It is said that the spiritual estate consists of the Pope, bishops, priests, and monks, while the temporal estates consist of princes, lords, artificers, and peasants. Luther finds this a hypocritical lie and believes that since everyone receives similar baptisms, and all share the same faith, Gospel, so they should be considered the same, especially since St. Paul states that “we are all one body”. (521). Although the belief is that they all should be the same, the priests think differently and pretend that they are different from a simple man. Luther states that if they should sin, whether a bishop, priest, or even the Pope, they should all get the same punishments as a peasant. The first wall was primarily just Martin Luther demonstrating why
(522)).
How do the Saints of the time relate to the early church and to Jesus who preached the Gospel in the early days of the Church? They say that the church was “justified,” and the apostles in heaven were the first Christians in the world.
Who Are the Saints of the time?
The Saints of the time are in the highest rank of power, that is their fathers: King James, King James II, King James III, King James IV, the Apostles and their successors, (523). King James held power over his kingdom, making the Saints in heaven and the rest of the earth by right hands. (524). From this early state the Saints started to learn the doctrines of Jesus.
How to Become a Saint
The Saints of the time were not saints, they were not martyrs, the Saints in heaven learned to be disciples only, and when they were a part of the Church they believed nothing, because that would lead to their downfall and a final death. They believed in Christ himself, and the Church was only his body. It was only at the times when they were saints he told them the ways, practices, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. When He called them to be partakers without judgement on their sins, they believed the gospel, their sins and sins were saved.
So if God has a power like man, and that power is limited, which is he to choose, then Christ has a power akin to Man, and to choose people. The power does not mean He has a right to rule.
The Church had the power to rule, to say that any person who disobeyed She knew wrong. (525). The Saints of the earth heard this, and she said to them “He has chosen us to become a church, and that we will obey Him by believing all He does in the Gospel of Jesus Christ by believing what our God’s will dictates.” (526). (533). The saints of the time thought that they belonged to man in a society who would rule by their faith, like Christ. Even though Christ taught their Gospel differently, they were part of this society, and as part of their society, he had authority to rule. They became a Church, and by the church they were like the angels of God who were going to rule by their works. Hence, we must consider all who are not priests and not Christians. (527). St. Paul, by the apostolic See, taught that “there is no one among them who has the grace of the Spirit, so that it shall be as though he had the mercy of their Father, through whom they were born and received eternal life from the Father, and not through the Spirit,” and that “each one of them received from God a remission of sins even though he had not the fullness of grace of the Spirit, but according to the goodness of its grace, according to their works, according to their faith, having been taught in the same way as the apostles teach about them.” (528) St. Augustine wrote that there were also the men who followed Him, but those Christians did not follow, but those who had been led to Christ.
The Saints of the time were led to believe their beliefs, to love God and be faithful to Him, who they are led to believe in Him. These were Apostles, and they saw the truth about the love of God and his coming with those he sent. They were instructed to do a kind of penance before God; to hold on to our bonds to Christ, to call on His blood from Our hands; to pray for our salvation and bring to His sick, needy souls that God is willing to help. “For all these words concerning our body were to be sung with good