“Familiarity breeds contempt.” It’s an old, old axiom, the truth of which few people ever realize.  Take, for instance, the centuries old doctrine of “salvation by faith only.”  It has been around for generations – defended by religionists generally, but under unceasing attack from knowledgeable Bible students from the very first days of its annunciation.  We have all heard of the doctrine, and most of the readers of this journal will long since had adjudged it as unscriptural and untrue.
    But how many people, both supporters and opponents of the doctrine, are familiar with Martin Luther’s understanding and application of it?  Luther was the chief exponent of the teaching; he adopted it in violent reaction from the equally false Catholic doctrine of “salvation by works.”  But, Luther’s acceptance of “faith only” led him into incredible and preposterous positions as to the implications of his theory.  For instance in his Commentary on Genesis he wrote: “The life is far less important than the doctrine, so that even if the life be not so pure the doctrine may well yet remain pure and the life may be borne with?.It is a high grace to separate the life from the doctrine.”
    Study that through a bit.  Its clear import is that one’s life is of no particular concern so long as his doctrine is right.  What one is does not matter; what he teaches is the important thing!  So that if a man make certain his doctrine is correct, he need not be concerned at all as to the profligacy or wickedness in his life.  Pangs of conscience for sins committed by a Christian Luther regarded as the temptation of Satan.  “The true saints of Christ,” he wrote, “must be good strong sinners!”
    Not only should the Christian be unconcerned and uncaring about sin, but Luther felt that God himself took little notice of it.  He declared: “Thou owest God nothing save to believe and confess.  In all things else he gives thee absolute freedom to do as thou wilt without any peril of conscience, so that he on his part does not even make any inquiry as to whether you put away your wife, run away from your master, and violate your covenant?  Before God it is a matter of indifference that a man should forsake his wife, for the body is not bound to God but is made free with respect to all things external, and is only inwardly God’s own through faith.”
    The doctrine of “salvation by faith only” led Luther not only to condone sin, but actually to suggest and recommend it as a way of showing contempt for the devil.  Consider this quotation from his writings: “Sometimes we ought to drink, sport, trifle more largely, and so commit some sin in hatred and contempt of the devil, lest we leave him any place for troubling our consciences with matters of no moment; otherwise we are vanquished, if we are too much concerned to avoid sinning.  Accordingly, if the devil should say ‘Refuse to drink,’ do you make response to him: ‘But yet I will drink just because you prohibit, and so in Christ’s name I will drink more largely’?”  “Whoever is able to drive out these Satanic thoughts by other thoughts, as concerning a pretty girl, avarice, drunkenness, etc., or by some vehement fit of anger, I advise this course be pursued.”
    Luther was able to see the full implications of his doctrine; and was morally courageous enough to accept them and defend them.  Most of those today who proclaim “salvation by faith only” would cringe in horror from the robust and earthy consequences the doctrine – consequences which Luther saw fully and accepted honestly.  For IF the doctrine be true, the consequences, as Luther saw them are inescapable.  The only question any man will face in judgment will be, “Did you believe in Jesus Christ as God’s son?”  If an affirmative answer can be given then nothing else will matter!
    Think for a moment what would happen if the religious people who defend the doctrine were able to follow thorough on it as clearly as Luther did!  There would be no religious barrier at all to immorality, dishonesty, debauchery, Knavery of every kind and character.  The “Christian” world indeed become a jungle of unspeakable corruption and wickedness.
    Salvation by faith is a Bible teaching, clear and simple; but “salvation by faith only” is a doctrine of Satan, and should be repudiated completely by every sincere and honest person who desires to live in a manner pleasing to God.