Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
Winter approaches, and with it so does the two retreats we are looking forward to now. So much else has been going on at Biblical Families recently, including the many new members we have received and people that we have been talking with, as a result of the TLC SisterWives show (you can see the page we added for the online ad we ran here.) We welcome those folks, and invite old and new members alike to let us know how we can serve you – we are available for counseling and advice. Just drop us a note at staff@biblicalfamilies.org, or if you’d like to reach just the ladies ministry, at femina@biblicalfamilies.org .
But the real focus this month is on these retreats. Here’s the skinny for you: if you haven’t attended a Biblical Families retreat, and you have a Biblical view of polygamy, you don’t know what your missing: the chance to learn from others, receive prayer and encouragement from them, and just experience the fellowship that is so lacking for many isolated by the truth of plural marriage.
Our retreats are for everyone – those seeking more info, those uncomfortable with the idea still, those single, married, or very married. If you want more info, see our Retreat page, and send any questions you have to retreats@biblicalfamilies.org.
Here is what is coming up:
Phoenix, AZ Nov 5th-7th Just 2 weeks away! It is not too late to sign up for this retreat – just email now for details. This will be our only retreat on the West Coast for the next 6 months at least. And while we love our East Coast folks (some that we have seen at 5 or 6 retreats now), what is great about the West Coast retreat is getting to meet all new families – we have some we have been waiting a long time to meet at this retreat. Dr. Allen will be present and is planning some special sessions for us. We have a great hotel location in north Phoenix – if you thing you might be interested, let us know now!
Alabama, Dec 31st-Jan 2nd Last New Year’s we had our biggest retreat (76) and this year, we’re looking to top that. We don’t want to go too far north in the Winter, so we are staying in the south, but moving just a bit West of our normal NC/GA/FL locations. This retreat will offer something new and really special: a level of teaching from a variety of Biblical teachers that we’ve not been able to offer before – while not forsaking the fellowship that is so important to many folks. We are still working on expanding our teacher list – but we think you are going to be pleasantly surprised. We believe this will be the most important retreat we’ve ever offered. We expect to offer a campground location that will be great for the kids (and still include a hotel room option) and to do meals together again. We will be announcing the exact location in mid-November. If you want to receive the details when we send them, just drop us an email now (address above). Block out your end of year days now and plan on being there, and being blessed!
Forum update: Just a reminder, that the best way to stay in touch with Biblical Families folks on a regular basis is in the forums, if you haven’t visited in a while, you’re missing out on many new participants, and interesting discussions: http://biblicalfamilies.org/forum2/
This month we have a special longer article on Martin Luther (we’ll leave out his comments on plural marriage – most of you are likely aware of this already), we think you’ll appreciate the parallels between his ‘stand’ for the truth and our own.
A Spirit of Gratitude for the Life and Work of Dr. Martin Luther
At the end of this month we will mark the 493rd birthday of the official announcement made by Dr. Martin Luther of protest against the abuses within the Roman Catholic Church. On October the 31st, 1517 Luther posted his famous 95 Thesis document on the Church Doors that articulated in detail the spiritual flaws that were being promoted in the life of the churches.
Fundamental to his argument was the issue pertaining to the gospel of Christ. At that time Roman Catholicism claimed to hold both the power of the sword (civil authority) and spiritual authority (salvation and damnation) over the lives of all people. They indeed did hold the power over the sphere of the state. However, unknown to them God had been preparing the fields to show that in reality they did not hold the power over each person’s soul.
For many years the Roman Catholic Church would ask for payments in order to offer forgiveness of sins unto the people. Luther rightly found this practice to be antithetical to the gospel as found in the Holy Scriptures. People were going to the Pope and Archbishops and other leaders paying for their forgiveness of sins and then returning to Luther’s area and asserting that they did not need to repent as they had already bought their forgiveness of sins by paying for it through the system called indulgences.
And thus he began teaching the truth about the gospel where people are born again by grace through faith in the all sufficient atonement of Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. But this teaching did not come with ease or with great fanfare. To the contrary he actually became one of the most hated men in Europe.
Hatred for Luther Grows
As Luther’s writings grew so did the hatred by the established church and government of his era. As scholar, preacher, theologian, teacher, philosopher, and shepherd to many saints Luther was caught between divine providence and satanic assault. In 1521 Luther was expelled by Pope Leo the X. This was a serious blow and hardship on Luther. But it got worse. The spiritual excommunication was a hardship to be sure! But that was only half of the problem. The Church of Rome also had rule over the Emperors. At the time of Luther Charles the V ruled over much of Europe. Charles summoned by law for Luther to come stand before him in a trial concerning his views which officially countered the established church of his day.
The arrival of Luther in the area was one of great fanfare. He was accompanied by a small party of his friends and supporters, including his university colleague Nicholas Amsdorf and a local lawyer Jerome Schurff. He arrived to the city on April 16th 1521. Everyone it seemed wanted to see Luther, the famous monk who had turned the known world upside down with his writings. “The day after his arrival, Luther was officially summoned by the master of the Imperial Calvary to present himself before the emperor, electors, princes, dukes and all the imperial estates at four o’clock. Luther duly arrived, having to creep through the side streets to avoid the crush of people wanting to see him. He was ushered into a room in the bishop’s house next to the cathedral. The scene focused on Charles V himself, seated in the center. Round the room stood princes, electors and dukes. . . . On the table lay a pile of books . . . . Luther was asked two questions: whether he acknowledge that the books listed under his name and displayed on the table were in fact his, and whether he was prepared to retract anything in them” (Luther and His World, Graham Tomlin, p. 108).
What did Luther do? Did he with great pomp and self-notoriety declare that everyone else was wrong? Sometimes we get this picture of a man who walked into a room with great fire and spoke with arrogance and pride before the King. He did no such thing! Luther, even though a scholar of the scholars and powerful leader among many, took time to walk carefully with full thought and preparation. He, like Apostle Paul who had a lawyer with him (Titus 3:13), even had a lawyer there by his side.
So how did Luther answer? To the first question about the books Luther answered: “Yes, they were his.” Yet even in this answer the reports say that his “voice was a little trembling and quiet” (Tomlin, p. 108). Now, he had to face the second question, would he retract his books and teachings? To this question the wise, cautious, and yet humble Luther asked for time to think about it. This expression by Luther caught the government officials off guard. They even stated to Luther that he had “surely had enough time to think of his answer before he came, yet, out of a desire that things should not be done unfairly, they were willing to give him a day” (Tomlin, p. 108).
That night Luther retired to his quarters and he faced the long night pondering and praying, seeking the gift of grace in courage to do what he knew was right. His friend came to him at night to encourage him to stay true to the fight for the gospel. As the night turned to day Luther was then again summoned to the court to answer the question. For Luther to answer he had taken time to pray and consider this issue because as he saw it his answer reflected a doctrinal issue that “affected the salvation of souls” (Kenneth Scott Latourette, A History of Christianity, Vol. 2, p. 717).
Now standing before the government officials again he was asked for a second time about his views and teaching in his books. To this Luther gave a remark that altered the course of history and civilizations. He said: “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen” (Paul Maier, Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World). He spoke his words twice, once in the German language and then again the Latin language.
As Dr. Laourette properly noted: “It was a dramatic hour. A humble monk and university professor of peasant stock dared to set himself against the weight of constituted authority in Church and state. As at Augsburg, he did so at the risk of his life” (Latourette, p. 717). Some mistakenly believe that Luther took joy in this and that he was acting out of a schismatic spirit. Nothing could be further than the truth. Luther did not like schism nor did he take joy in having to do this. “It was not selfish and irresponsible. [Luther’s actions] arose from a deep sense of divine compulsion” (Latourette, p. 717). But his actions led to the verdict and judgment against him that altered his life, Christianity as a whole, and succeeding generations to come even down to this very day.
Charles the V in May of 1521 judged Luther to be a “limb cut off from the Church of God, an obstinate schismatic and manifest heretic,” and then commanded “that all his subjects to refuse Luther hospitality, lodging, food, or drink, to take him prisoner and turn him over to the Emperor, and to deal similarly with all Luther’s friends and adherents, confiscating their property. The decree also prohibited the printing, buying, or selling of Luther’s works. To the end of his days Luther remained under the shadow of this edict” (Latourette, p. 718).
Now with his life at risk even the supporters of Luther had to take drastic action to even protect Luther from arrest and death. While traveling home from the Diet of Worms Court his friends had to kidnap him and take him into hiding to spare his life. He remained in hiding until March 1522. Yet even while in hiding he made use of his time to translate the Bible in the German language of the people, a project that took him about 10 years to complete. He lived and ministered to the people until his death in 1546 when he died.
This month we can celebrate the work and life of Martin Luther. More books have been written on this man than any other in history except for Jesus Christ. What can we learn from the life and ministry of Dr. Martin Luther? A few practical thoughts come to mind:
1. He loved to study and learn. He was a well prepared man. While many despise education and growth in knowledge we see that Luther modeled for us a life of research, study, and in depth education. The Bible teaches us to prepare our minds for action (1 Peter 1:13).
2. He discovered that no matter how hard one tried that one could not keep the law and thus one had to live all of life under the sphere of grace. His confidence in Christ came not because he trusted in himself but in the fact that he trusted in the graciousness of God who had called him to minister. The Bible teaches us this when it says, “Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:4-6).
3. He learned how to live out his faith with a humble, cautious, and courageous way. Luther modeled for the saints today the way in which one should properly address authority figures. Though he would not recant his views he did show respect and courtesy to those in authority. His life shows the proper way to handle error and dissent. He did not advocate rebellion, only reform. It was the leaders who ousted him for teaching what he taught. The Bible says that even the Arch Angel Michael did not declare a blasphemous judgment against the devil when disputing over the body of Moses (Jude 9). Apostle Paul even admitted his error for speaking rudely to the Chief High Priest (Acts 23:3-5).
4. Luther walked in wisdom. Some today like to be renegades, one man shows, mavericks. That spirit was rejected by Luther and shown to us by the fact that he had assembled around him a team of people to do ministry. Luther was a man of wisdom. He knew to accomplish a giant task he needed to recruit the efforts of others. He had around him not only friends, but a lawyer, and another theologian. Later he ministered along with Philip Melanchthon who became one of the primary teachers of the Reformation movement. The Bible teaches us that it is important to have a multitude of godly counselors around us. Proverbs 24:5-6 says, “A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.” Jesus also said, “I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt. 10:16).
Practical Application for Those of Biblical Families
Sometimes it is easy to become cynical and mean spirited due to the massive amounts of people who reject something you may wholeheartedly believe to be true and beneficial for society as whole. One way to keep from falling into this trap is to live like Luther. Study and find those who are well versed in Scripture and theology and team up with them.
Luther understood the power of building a team to accomplish a giant task. Despite many of his failures, which we certainly do see in his life, Luther changed the world through his efforts to teach the truth even when unpopular and even in his day illegal. At least today we have the freedom to teach and preach whatever we believe to be biblical. Though the government does not allow people to marry in the plural sense of the term yet, one should never underestimate the value of preaching and teaching the truth. Luther’s message altered the course of world history. Today we live in and under that spirit of freedom being able to teach this from the Bible and to build a support team that understands the ideology and lifestyle. This month we can give praise unto the Lord for sovereignly calling, saving, preparing, and using Dr. Martin Luther to model for us a godly path towards righteous dissent in the graces of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dr. K.R. Allen
Winter approaches, and with it so does the two retreats we are looking forward to now. So much else has been going on at Biblical Families recently, including the many new members we have received and people that we have been talking with, as a result of the TLC SisterWives show (you can see the page we added for the online ad we ran here.) We welcome those folks, and invite old and new members alike to let us know how we can serve you – we are available for counseling and advice. Just drop us a note at staff@biblicalfamilies.org, or if you’d like to reach just the ladies ministry, at femina@biblicalfamilies.org .
But the real focus this month is on these retreats. Here’s the skinny for you: if you haven’t attended a Biblical Families retreat, and you have a Biblical view of polygamy, you don’t know what your missing: the chance to learn from others, receive prayer and encouragement from them, and just experience the fellowship that is so lacking for many isolated by the truth of plural marriage.
Our retreats are for everyone – those seeking more info, those uncomfortable with the idea still, those single, married, or very married. If you want more info, see our Retreat page, and send any questions you have to retreats@biblicalfamilies.org.
Here is what is coming up:
Phoenix, AZ Nov 5th-7th Just 2 weeks away! It is not too late to sign up for this retreat – just email now for details. This will be our only retreat on the West Coast for the next 6 months at least. And while we love our East Coast folks (some that we have seen at 5 or 6 retreats now), what is great about the West Coast retreat is getting to meet all new families – we have some we have been waiting a long time to meet at this retreat. Dr. Allen will be present and is planning some special sessions for us. We have a great hotel location in north Phoenix – if you thing you might be interested, let us know now!
Alabama, Dec 31st-Jan 2nd Last New Year’s we had our biggest retreat (76) and this year, we’re looking to top that. We don’t want to go too far north in the Winter, so we are staying in the south, but moving just a bit West of our normal NC/GA/FL locations. This retreat will offer something new and really special: a level of teaching from a variety of Biblical teachers that we’ve not been able to offer before – while not forsaking the fellowship that is so important to many folks. We are still working on expanding our teacher list – but we think you are going to be pleasantly surprised. We believe this will be the most important retreat we’ve ever offered. We expect to offer a campground location that will be great for the kids (and still include a hotel room option) and to do meals together again. We will be announcing the exact location in mid-November. If you want to receive the details when we send them, just drop us an email now (address above). Block out your end of year days now and plan on being there, and being blessed!
Forum update: Just a reminder, that the best way to stay in touch with Biblical Families folks on a regular basis is in the forums, if you haven’t visited in a while, you’re missing out on many new participants, and interesting discussions: http://biblicalfamilies.org/forum2/
This month we have a special longer article on Martin Luther (we’ll leave out his comments on plural marriage – most of you are likely aware of this already), we think you’ll appreciate the parallels between his ‘stand’ for the truth and our own.
A Spirit of Gratitude for the Life and Work of Dr. Martin Luther
At the end of this month we will mark the 493rd birthday of the official announcement made by Dr. Martin Luther of protest against the abuses within the Roman Catholic Church. On October the 31st, 1517 Luther posted his famous 95 Thesis document on the Church Doors that articulated in detail the spiritual flaws that were being promoted in the life of the churches.
Fundamental to his argument was the issue pertaining to the gospel of Christ. At that time Roman Catholicism claimed to hold both the power of the sword (civil authority) and spiritual authority (salvation and damnation) over the lives of all people. They indeed did hold the power over the sphere of the state. However, unknown to them God had been preparing the fields to show that in reality they did not hold the power over each person’s soul.
For many years the Roman Catholic Church would ask for payments in order to offer forgiveness of sins unto the people. Luther rightly found this practice to be antithetical to the gospel as found in the Holy Scriptures. People were going to the Pope and Archbishops and other leaders paying for their forgiveness of sins and then returning to Luther’s area and asserting that they did not need to repent as they had already bought their forgiveness of sins by paying for it through the system called indulgences.
And thus he began teaching the truth about the gospel where people are born again by grace through faith in the all sufficient atonement of Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. But this teaching did not come with ease or with great fanfare. To the contrary he actually became one of the most hated men in Europe.
Hatred for Luther Grows
As Luther’s writings grew so did the hatred by the established church and government of his era. As scholar, preacher, theologian, teacher, philosopher, and shepherd to many saints Luther was caught between divine providence and satanic assault. In 1521 Luther was expelled by Pope Leo the X. This was a serious blow and hardship on Luther. But it got worse. The spiritual excommunication was a hardship to be sure! But that was only half of the problem. The Church of Rome also had rule over the Emperors. At the time of Luther Charles the V ruled over much of Europe. Charles summoned by law for Luther to come stand before him in a trial concerning his views which officially countered the established church of his day.
The arrival of Luther in the area was one of great fanfare. He was accompanied by a small party of his friends and supporters, including his university colleague Nicholas Amsdorf and a local lawyer Jerome Schurff. He arrived to the city on April 16th 1521. Everyone it seemed wanted to see Luther, the famous monk who had turned the known world upside down with his writings. “The day after his arrival, Luther was officially summoned by the master of the Imperial Calvary to present himself before the emperor, electors, princes, dukes and all the imperial estates at four o’clock. Luther duly arrived, having to creep through the side streets to avoid the crush of people wanting to see him. He was ushered into a room in the bishop’s house next to the cathedral. The scene focused on Charles V himself, seated in the center. Round the room stood princes, electors and dukes. . . . On the table lay a pile of books . . . . Luther was asked two questions: whether he acknowledge that the books listed under his name and displayed on the table were in fact his, and whether he was prepared to retract anything in them” (Luther and His World, Graham Tomlin, p. 108).
What did Luther do? Did he with great pomp and self-notoriety declare that everyone else was wrong? Sometimes we get this picture of a man who walked into a room with great fire and spoke with arrogance and pride before the King. He did no such thing! Luther, even though a scholar of the scholars and powerful leader among many, took time to walk carefully with full thought and preparation. He, like Apostle Paul who had a lawyer with him (Titus 3:13), even had a lawyer there by his side.
So how did Luther answer? To the first question about the books Luther answered: “Yes, they were his.” Yet even in this answer the reports say that his “voice was a little trembling and quiet” (Tomlin, p. 108). Now, he had to face the second question, would he retract his books and teachings? To this question the wise, cautious, and yet humble Luther asked for time to think about it. This expression by Luther caught the government officials off guard. They even stated to Luther that he had “surely had enough time to think of his answer before he came, yet, out of a desire that things should not be done unfairly, they were willing to give him a day” (Tomlin, p. 108).
That night Luther retired to his quarters and he faced the long night pondering and praying, seeking the gift of grace in courage to do what he knew was right. His friend came to him at night to encourage him to stay true to the fight for the gospel. As the night turned to day Luther was then again summoned to the court to answer the question. For Luther to answer he had taken time to pray and consider this issue because as he saw it his answer reflected a doctrinal issue that “affected the salvation of souls” (Kenneth Scott Latourette, A History of Christianity, Vol. 2, p. 717).
Now standing before the government officials again he was asked for a second time about his views and teaching in his books. To this Luther gave a remark that altered the course of history and civilizations. He said: “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen” (Paul Maier, Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World). He spoke his words twice, once in the German language and then again the Latin language.
As Dr. Laourette properly noted: “It was a dramatic hour. A humble monk and university professor of peasant stock dared to set himself against the weight of constituted authority in Church and state. As at Augsburg, he did so at the risk of his life” (Latourette, p. 717). Some mistakenly believe that Luther took joy in this and that he was acting out of a schismatic spirit. Nothing could be further than the truth. Luther did not like schism nor did he take joy in having to do this. “It was not selfish and irresponsible. [Luther’s actions] arose from a deep sense of divine compulsion” (Latourette, p. 717). But his actions led to the verdict and judgment against him that altered his life, Christianity as a whole, and succeeding generations to come even down to this very day.
Charles the V in May of 1521 judged Luther to be a “limb cut off from the Church of God, an obstinate schismatic and manifest heretic,” and then commanded “that all his subjects to refuse Luther hospitality, lodging, food, or drink, to take him prisoner and turn him over to the Emperor, and to deal similarly with all Luther’s friends and adherents, confiscating their property. The decree also prohibited the printing, buying, or selling of Luther’s works. To the end of his days Luther remained under the shadow of this edict” (Latourette, p. 718).
Now with his life at risk even the supporters of Luther had to take drastic action to even protect Luther from arrest and death. While traveling home from the Diet of Worms Court his friends had to kidnap him and take him into hiding to spare his life. He remained in hiding until March 1522. Yet even while in hiding he made use of his time to translate the Bible in the German language of the people, a project that took him about 10 years to complete. He lived and ministered to the people until his death in 1546 when he died.
This month we can celebrate the work and life of Martin Luther. More books have been written on this man than any other in history except for Jesus Christ. What can we learn from the life and ministry of Dr. Martin Luther? A few practical thoughts come to mind:
1. He loved to study and learn. He was a well prepared man. While many despise education and growth in knowledge we see that Luther modeled for us a life of research, study, and in depth education. The Bible teaches us to prepare our minds for action (1 Peter 1:13).
2. He discovered that no matter how hard one tried that one could not keep the law and thus one had to live all of life under the sphere of grace. His confidence in Christ came not because he trusted in himself but in the fact that he trusted in the graciousness of God who had called him to minister. The Bible teaches us this when it says, “Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:4-6).
3. He learned how to live out his faith with a humble, cautious, and courageous way. Luther modeled for the saints today the way in which one should properly address authority figures. Though he would not recant his views he did show respect and courtesy to those in authority. His life shows the proper way to handle error and dissent. He did not advocate rebellion, only reform. It was the leaders who ousted him for teaching what he taught. The Bible says that even the Arch Angel Michael did not declare a blasphemous judgment against the devil when disputing over the body of Moses (Jude 9). Apostle Paul even admitted his error for speaking rudely to the Chief High Priest (Acts 23:3-5).
4. Luther walked in wisdom. Some today like to be renegades, one man shows, mavericks. That spirit was rejected by Luther and shown to us by the fact that he had assembled around him a team of people to do ministry. Luther was a man of wisdom. He knew to accomplish a giant task he needed to recruit the efforts of others. He had around him not only friends, but a lawyer, and another theologian. Later he ministered along with Philip Melanchthon who became one of the primary teachers of the Reformation movement. The Bible teaches us that it is important to have a multitude of godly counselors around us. Proverbs 24:5-6 says, “A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.” Jesus also said, “I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt. 10:16).
Practical Application for Those of Biblical Families
Sometimes it is easy to become cynical and mean spirited due to the massive amounts of people who reject something you may wholeheartedly believe to be true and beneficial for society as whole. One way to keep from falling into this trap is to live like Luther. Study and find those who are well versed in Scripture and theology and team up with them.
Luther understood the power of building a team to accomplish a giant task. Despite many of his failures, which we certainly do see in his life, Luther changed the world through his efforts to teach the truth even when unpopular and even in his day illegal. At least today we have the freedom to teach and preach whatever we believe to be biblical. Though the government does not allow people to marry in the plural sense of the term yet, one should never underestimate the value of preaching and teaching the truth. Luther’s message altered the course of world history. Today we live in and under that spirit of freedom being able to teach this from the Bible and to build a support team that understands the ideology and lifestyle. This month we can give praise unto the Lord for sovereignly calling, saving, preparing, and using Dr. Martin Luther to model for us a godly path towards righteous dissent in the graces of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dr. K.R. Allen