Here's a Spanish Martin Luther meme sent in to Beggars All:
And here's the English translation (as per Google):
How to respond:
1. Identify the Argument: This is an example of those quotes categorically classified as "Did Luther Regret the Reformation?" They are typically posted by those dedicated to defending the Roman church. Their argument is that the Reformation was a failure: it didn't produce any real fruit. Luther's own words and the state of Protestantism at the time prove it. Protestantism isn't a movement of the church. It is the result of heresy, and heresy never leads anyone to true holiness. With this quote, the implication is that previously the state of Christian piety was much better and Luther knew it. His Gospel was a failure in producing good works among those who followed his teaching. Luther is presented as admitting that a return to the prior state of things would produce the much-needed good works missing in German society.
2. Locate the Source: Ask for further documentation. What is presented is vague. This meme cites "Luther. Sermon on Matthew 21; 1537." The date of 1537 is suspicious. In 1538 Luther began preaching extensively on Matthew 21, but this quote is not found in LW 68's publication of those sermons on this chapter. Without specifics, the reference of 1537 is potentially spurious. One possible source for the quote is a 1533 House Postil sermon written down by Veit Dietrich. The sermon is the First Sunday in Advent on Matthew 21:1-9. Many of the elements of the quote are contained in this sermon, though not in the order presented by the meme. There's either a mystery 1537 sermon somewhere out there, or someone at some point has done severe editing to this 1533 sermon (I suspect the later).
3. Present the Possible Context.
This announcement we should indeed hear with great joy, and everyone should thereby be bettered and made more holy. But alas, the contrary is true, and the world grows worse as it grows older, becoming the very Satan himself, as we see that the people are now more dissolute, avaricious, unmerciful, impure and wicked than previously under the papacy. What causes this? Nothing else than that the people disregard this preaching, do not use it aright for their own conversion and amendment, that is, for the comfort of their conscience, and thankfulness for the grace and benefit of God in Christ; but everyone is more concerned for money and goods, or other worldly matters, than for this precious treasure which Christ brings us. For the most of us, when we do not feel our misery, the fear of sin and death, would rather, like the Jews, have such a king in Christ as would give us riches and ease here on earth, than that we should comfort ourselves in Him in the midst of poverty, crosses, wretchedness, fear and death. The world takes no delight in this, and because the gospel and Christ do not give it what it desires, it will have nothing to do with Christ and the gospel. Therefore our Lord in turn rebukes this world and says: Do you not rejoice in this, nor thank me, that through the sufferings and death of my only begotten Son, I take away your sins and death? Then I will give you sin and death enough, since you want it so; and where you were possessed of and tormented by only one devil, you shall now be tormented by seven that are worse. We see farmers, citizens and all orders, from the highest to the lowest, guilty of shameful avarice, inordinate life, impurity and other vices. Therefore let everyone who would be a Christian be hereby warned as of God himself, joyfully and thankfully to hear and receive this announcement, and also pray to God to give him a strong faith, that he may hold fast this doctrine; then surely the fruit will follow, that he will daily become more humble, obedient, gentle, chaste and pious. For this doctrine is of a character to make godly, chaste, obedient, pious people. But those who will not gladly receive it, become seven times worse than they were before they heard it, as we see everywhere. And the hour will surely come when God will punish this unthankfulness. Then it will appear what the world has merited by it. Now, since the Jews would not obey the prophet, it is told to us that our King comes meek and lowly, in order that we may learn wisdom from their sad experience, and not be offended by His poverty, nor look for worldly pomp and riches, like the Jews; but learn that in Christ we have a King who is the Just One and Savior, and willing to help us from sin and eternal death. This announcement, I say, we should receive with joy, and with hearty thanks to God, else we must take the devil, with walling, weeping and gnashing of teeth. (p. 8-10).Conclusion
We must certainly receive this message eagerly and gratefully, by it becoming more pious and godly. Unfortunately there's the opposite side, that by this teaching the world becomes more and more hostile, wicked, and malicious; yet not through the fault of the teaching but of the people, thanks to the pernicious devil and death. Today people are possessed by seven devils, whereas before it was only one. The devil now bulldozes the people so that even under the bright light of the gospel they become greedier, slyer, more covetous, crueler, lewder, more insolent and ill-tempered than before under the papacy.
We deserve that our Evangelicals (the followers of the new Gospel) should now be seven times worse than they were before. Because after having learnt the Gospel, we steal, tell lies, deceive, eat and drink (to excess), and practice all manner of vices.
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