The Ninety-Five Theses the Beginning of the Reformation

Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the main Church door in Wittenberg in Saxony Germany, on October 31st in the year of our Lord 1517.

He did this as a protest against the selling of Papal indulgences. Martin then sent a copy of the theses to his corrupt Archbishop, Albert of Mainz (who sent a copy to Pope Leo X).

Martin Luther makes three main points in his 95 theses and here they are in his own words:

1) Selling indulgences to finance the building of St. Peter’s is wrong.

“The revenues of all Christendom are being sucked into this insatiable basilica. The Germans laugh at calling this the common treasure of Christendom. Before long, all the churches, palaces, walls and bridges of Rome will be built out of our money. First of all, we should rear living temples, not local churches, and only last of all St. Peter’s, which is not necessary for us.”

2) The Pope has no power over Purgatory.

“Papal indulgences do not remove guilt. … The Pope can only remove those penalties which he himself has imposed on earth, for Christ did not say, ‘Whatsoever I have bound in heaven you may loose on earth…Therefore I claim that the Pope has no jurisdiction over Purgatory.” We today do not believe in Purgatory as it is not mentioned in the Bible.

3) Buying indulgences gives people a false sense of security and endangers their salvation.

“Indulgences are positively harmful to the recipient because they impede salvation by diverting charity and inducing a false sense of security. Christians should be taught that he . . . who spends money on indulgences instead of relieving want receives not the indulgence of the Pope but the indignation of God.

When man believes himself to be utterly lost, light breaks. Peace comes in the word of Christ through faith. He who does not have this is lost even though he be absolved a million times by the Pope”