#25: On common misconceptions about Martin Luther with Obbie Tyler Todd.

Ferdinand Pauwels, “Luther posting his 95 theses”

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There’s a bevy of colloquial knowledge surrounding Augustinian monk Martin Luther. Most are familiar with the story of him nailing the Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg. Some are conversant enough to know him as the “sola gratia guy” or “sola fide guy.” But among all the infamous feats this unassuming monk accomplished in his lifetime, we often forget about him as simply a pastor and a husband. The efforts of Luther in the Protestant Reformation are, perhaps, what we’ll always remember him for, but we mustn’t neglect to remember what spurred him towards this endeavor in the first place. His determination in 1517 wasn’t cockamamie pursuit of notoriety. Rather, he drove his nail with pastoral force. Luther the pastor preceded and, indeed, inspired Luther the reformer.

In this edition of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I’m joined again by my dear friend, Obbie Tyler Todd. Obbie’s fondness for church history fuels this conversation as we take a deep-dive into Luther’s theology, his successes, his failures, and his legacy. Our goal is to wade through the common misconceptions and misunderstandings surrounding Luther and see the man for who he was, flaws and all. I think you’ll greatly benefit from this discussion as we seek to grasp more fully God’s gospel of reconciliation as seen in the life and ministry of Martin Luther.

Resources.

Commentary on Galatians, Martin Luther

Confessions, Augustine

The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance—Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters, Sinclair Ferguson

The Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther

“Luther’s Jewish Problem,” Bernard N. Howard

On the Freedom of a Christian, Martin Luther

Where God Meets Man, Gerhard Forde

Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray

Sponsor.

This episode is brought to you by the Christian Standard Bible. Find out more by going to CSBible.com.

Notes.

Obbie serves as the campus pastor at the Haynes Creek campus of First Baptist Church in Covington, Georgia, where he lives with his wife Kelly, and their two kids, Roman and Ruby. Obbie is an exceptional preacher, writer, and thinker. The bulk of his writing can be found on The Majesty’s Men network site, Vernacular. You can also follow him on Twitter, @obbietyler.

Credits.

Intro music: “West Coast” by Ryan Little, licensed under CC BY 4.0.