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The following information was sent in by Reclaim
News reader, George.
"The next three quotations have to with fanaticism.
This, I believe, is Luther's opinion of Benke and his prayer.
"This is what all factious spirits do: they first concoct an opinion.
If it pleases them, then they attempt to force the Scriptures to agree
with it" [AE 36:337].
"Nothing has ever been instituted--no matter how godly and holy it
was--that has not been perverted by distorted zeal and godless hypocrisy.
In fact, the holier a thing is the more it is assailed by the perverted
copying of blasphemous hypocrites. What is more holy than the worship of
God, the highest and the first commandment? And yet, what is more
widespread than superstition, that is, false, feigned worship? It must be
feared that by this very perversity even the godliness of vows [or
prayers] may degenerate into godless hypocrisy and superstition. True
godliness and a sincere vow [or prayer] is no everyday occurrence,
especially these days, dangerous, godless, and desperate times, when it
was foretold faith and love shall perish" (Cf. Matt. 24:12 and Luke
18:8). [AE 44:252]
"[Romans 10:]2. They have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened.
This is a prodigious statement, because it is the essential and sole
opponent of faith, it resists obedience, it makes men stiff-necked and
incorrigible, as is obvious in the case of heretics and schismatics. As if
it were impossible for them to make a mistake, they stand firm and
obstinate in their good intention, staking their entire salvation on the
fact that they are carrying out their pious intention out of a zeal for
God. Scripture very properly calls these men depraved or crooked in heart
and corrupt in mind, even though they are not corrupt in the flesh or
bodily vices, but they are corrupt in spiritual matters, spiritually
stubborn in their own ideas and good intention. Against these men the
blessed Virgin is speaking when she says: 'He has scattered the proud in
the imagination of their hearts' (Luke 1:51). Today we have in this
classification such people as popes and princes
[district presidents?] who neglect their own duties in their zeal for God
and their pious intent and carry on business which does not concern them.
Included also is every person who leaves a lower and good task which he
ought to do and follows after a greater good, that is, something which has
the appearance of a greater good, with the devil deceiving him all the
time. For this zeal is the mind and head of the old serpent and the cause
of all discord and the source, the father of pride and stubbornness and
unbelief, and, [appearing to act] for the sake of salvation, it is a
hindrance to salvation." [AE 25:405]
George
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