John piper martin luther biography king jr
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Martin Luther’s unshakable faith in God’s Word was the foundation of his faith and actions. In this excellent biography put together by John Piper, we’re reminded of the importance and prominence The Bible should have in the life of every one who hungers for God. – Paul.
Martin Luther Discovers the Book
One of the great rediscoveries of the Reformation -especially of Martin Luther- was that the Word of God comes to us in a form of a Book. In other words Luther grasped this powerful fact: God preserves the experience of salvation and holiness from generation to generation by means of a Book of revelation, not a bishop in Rome, and not the ecstasies of Thomas Muenzer and the Zwickau prophets (see note 1). The Word of God comes to us in a Book. That rediscovery shaped Luther and the Reformation.
One of Luther’s arch-opponents in the Roman Church, Sylvester Prierias, wrote in response to Luther’s 95 theses: “He who does not accept the doctrine of the Church of Rome and pontiff of Rome as an infallible rule of faith, from which the Holy Scriptures, too, draw their strength and authority, is a heretic” (see note 2). In other words, the Church and the pope are the authoritative deposit of salvation and the Word of God; and the
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Strands of Thought
In this last statement made on August 28, 1963, MLK spoke words that have become his most familiar and oft-quoted words. They were spoken during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom rally to about 250,000 supporters, in which he calls for civil rights, job equality and an end to racism. MLK concludes his speech with prophetic hope, grounded his conclusion with biblical imagery and biblical hope, noted in his recurring refrain, “I have a dream.” Here is an excerpt:
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream...
This remains a dream and a prayer. This is a picture of the redeemed that will ultimately be fulfilled in the new heavens and the new earth, consisting of those around the throne of God who have been ransomed by the blood of Christ, people “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev 5:9). Because it is grounded in the finished work of Christ, this is a sure and certain hope that God will bring this to pass for the
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