1. Romans 1:17
“For in [the Gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’”
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2. 500 years of the reformation
“The just shall live by faith”

3. Rediscovered Biblical Christianity

4. Luther is a very flawed man
That is the sort of person God uses

5. The Roman Catholic church was in disarray

6. God who works behind the scenes
In 1453, Johann Gutenberg pioneered the use of movable metal type to print books.
Image from North Wind Pictures Archives
Gutenberg Bible Page

7. God who works behind the scenes
Constantinople is invaded by the Muslims.
Image: © adrian beesley

8. God who works behind the scenes
Many Christian scholars from Constantinople fled west, in the direction of Rome.
Among the valued items they took with them were manuscripts, especially New Testament manuscripts in the original Greek language.

9. God who works behind the scenes
In 1516, Erasmus edited and published a Greek New Testament.
Now the original words of the apostles were available to anyone. .

10. Martin Luther the Monk
Martin Luther had studied to become a lawyer, but during an unexpected storm, Luther vowed to become a monk.
Even as a monk, he could not escape his deep awareness of his own sin and God’s righteousness.
Illustration by Stephen Hesselman
Martin Luther

13. Martin Luther the Monk
While studying the Greek New Testament, Luther saw that God imputes his righteousness to anyone who truly trusts Jesus.
“The passage of Paul,” Luther said, “became my gateway to heaven.”
Illustration by Stephen Hesselman
Martin Luther

14. God works behind the scenes

16. Martin Luther and Indulgences
In 1517, Pope Leo X allowed alms to be given to the Church in exchange for “indulgences.”
It was believed that indulgences released Christians from the temporal punishments for their sins.
Image: Pope Leo X, File:Ara Coeli (12).jpg available at
Pope Leo X

18. Martin Luther, the Wild Pig
Martin Luther wanted to debate the validity of indulgences.
On October 31, 1517, Luther nailed a list of 95 theses (topics for debate) on a chapel door in Wittenberg, Germany.
In response Pope Leo X declared, “Arise, O Lord. A wild pig has invaded the Lord’s vineyard!”
Image: © David Crooks

20. The Diet of Worms
Luther was summoned to the city of Worms for a gathering of leaders (known in Latin as a “diet”).

22. Sola Scriptura

23. Persecution helps you solidify your beliefs.

24. The Diet of Worms
After the diet, Luther went into hiding.

25. Luther & Kaetie
After Luther emerged from hiding, one of his friends removed nine nuns from a convent.
Eventually, only one of the nuns remained unwed: Katherine von Bora.
“Kaetie” joked that she might marry Luther.
Katherine von Bora
“Ditych with the Portraits of Luther and his Wife” (detail) by Lucas the Elder Cranach

26. Luther & Kaetie In 1525, Martin and Kaetie married.
“I would not,” Luther declared, “exchange Kaetie for France, because God gave her to me, and … other women have even worse faults.”
Katherine von Bora
“Ditych with the Portraits of Luther and his Wife” (detail) by Lucas the Elder Cranach

29. Stick to your conviction
Don’t be frightened of persecution
Always be willing to reform your life and your thinking.