How Did Luther View The Sacrifice Of Christ

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When speaking about the Lord's Supper it is to be noted that he viewed the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ with the utmost respect and reverence. His high view of Christ no doubt influenced his views on the Lord's Supper. Consider what he had to say on the matter: The operative cause of the sacrament is the word and institution of Christ, who ordained it. The substance is bread and wine, prefiguring the true body and blood of Christ, which is spiritually received by faith. The final cause of institutin the same, is the benefit and the fruit, the strengthening of our faith, not doubting Christ's body and blood were given and shed for us, and that our sins by Christ's death certainly are forgiven. (Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther, #313) One issue is to be taken with Mr. Luther on this point of Consubstantiation. He places too much emphasis upon the bread and the cup containing the spirit of the blood and body. Christ is one, indivisible, body and blood. Moreover, while there is a spiritual nourishing from the Spirit of Christ upon communion with the believer during the observance of the Lord's table, it is not directly tied to the elements themselves but to the one whom they represent. Consider Calvin: Christ can exert his energy wherever he pleases, in earth and heaven, can manifest his presence by the exercise of …show more content…

The primary doctrine that came from the Reformation period was the doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone. This doctrine states that it is not by any works of the flesh or the will that the grace of God is received. Since works cannot accept grace then faith must be something that is given to man by the hand of God. This doctrine is one that Luther pulled straight from Scripture. His Commentary on 2 Peter tells of his work on this

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