A Grave Error By Reformers

The gravest error of the reformers Luther and Calvin was that they did not go back far enough toward the source of truth. Even though Luther popularized, and Calvin affirmed, the term “Sola Scripture,” both men relied heavily on Augustine, whose false teachings stemmed from multiple factors, including reliance on very poor Latin translations of the Bible. His personal foibles in regards to sexuality led him to regard even sex as God intended—that is, exclusive and faithful relations between husband and wife—to somehow be sinful (much as a recovered [drunk] who becomes a militant prohibitionist, and refuses to see that full prohibition of alcohol is not a Biblical doctrine). And his personal hatred and loathing toward Pelagius that led him to import many aspects of his old Manichean religion into Christianity, and make up a “heresy” out of whole cloth and falsely attach the name of Pelagius to it.

To be truly free of Romanism and pursue Christianity, one must also reject any extra-biblical source as a basis for doctrine, building theology on the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, rather than relying on the shaky and often contradictory positions of so-called “Church fathers.”

Email from “DN” to The Berean Call, published in July 2023 issue.

Did They Really Say That?!?

“The Jews are the most worthless of all men.  They are lecherous, greedy and rapacious.  They are perfidious murderers of Christ.  The Jews are the odious assassins of Christ and for killing God there is no expiation possible, no indulgence or pardon.  Christians may never cease vengeance and the Jews must live in servitude forever.  God always hated the Jews.  It is incumbent upon Christians to hate Jews."

John Chrysostom (c.347-407 AD), “Homilae Adversus Iudaeos”

"What shall we Christians do with this damned, rejected race of the Jews?  First, their synagogues should be set on fire.  Secondly their homes should likewise be broken down an destroyed.  Thirdly they should be deprived of their prayer books and Talmuds.  Fourthly their rabbis must be forbidden under threat of death to teach any more.  Fifthly passport and traveling privileges should be absolutely forbidden to Jews.  Sixthly they ought to be stopped from usury.  Seventhly let the young and strong Jews and Jewesses be given the flail, the axe, the spade, the distaff, and spindle and let them earn their bread by the sweat of their noses.  To sum up, dear princes and nobles who have Jews in your domains, if this advice of mine does not suit you, then find a better one, so that you and we may all be free of this insufferable devilish burden—the Jews."

Martin Luther, Concerning the Jews and Their Lies.

Both citations from the pamphlet, “Who Really Killed Jesus?” by Tony Pearce, published by Lighthouse Trails Research Ministry.

By the time of Chrysostom, the Church was becoming more and more corrupt by being part of the governmental system.  His attitude became the prevailing idea in the Roman Catholic Church through history, which is why Rome persecuted the Jews and murdered hundreds of thousands of them over the years.  Luther was just carrying over his Catholic beliefs.

It is this sort of teaching which turned Jews totally away from Christianity.  It also has turned many non-Jews against the Christian faith. Of course we should ALL know that this teaching is in direct opposition to the Christian faith.  There is absolutely NO biblical justification for persecuting ANYONE!!

The Jews didn’t murder Christ -  Jesus gave up His own life!  Even if the Jews were the instrument, why in the world would Christians hate Jews for executing Jesus, when it was necessary that Jesus be killed in order to provide salvation?!?  This is something that has always bothered me about the anti-Jew teachings of so many false believers and cults.

If anyone teaches this nonsense, ask them to demonstrate from the Bible where Jesus would ever teach it.