Sometime......(if you will), actually read the 95 thesis' he nailed to the door of the church in Nuremberg. - And see that he wasn't speaking against the epistle of James; but Papal excesses.
To quote his accusers is folly.
I'll quote Martin Luther directly...
Here is Martin Luther teaching the pure heresy of what he called "The Blessed Exchange."
Yesterday we began to speak about the baptism of Christ and said that he accepted it from John for the reason that he was entering into our stead, indeed, our person, that is, becoming a sinner for us, taking upon himself the sins which he had not committed, and wiping them out and drowning them in his holy baptism. And that he did this in accord with the will of God, the heavenly Father, who cast all our sins upon him that he might bear them and not only cleanse us from them through his baptism and make satisfaction for them on the Cross, but also clothe as in his holiness and adorn us with his innocence.Is not this a beautiful, glorious exchange, by which Christ, who is wholly innocent and holy, not only takes upon himself another’s sin, that is, my sin and guilt, but also clothes and adorns me, who am nothing but sin, with his own innocence and purity? And then besides dies the shameful death of the Cross for the sake of my sins, through which I have deserved death and condemnation, and grants to me his righteousness, in order that I may live with him eternally in glorious and unspeakable joy. Through this blessed exchange, in which Christ changes places with us (something the heart can grasp only in faith), and through nothing else, are we freed from sin and death and given his righteousness and life as our own.
Luther, M. (1999, c1959). Vol. 51: Luther’s works, vol. 51 : Sermons I (J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther’s Works (51:III-316). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.
Blessed Exchange « 1517 AD Blog
Martin Luther viewed 2Cor 5:21 as teaching that the actual obedience of Jesus is forensically transferred to the believers account. Thus, it is taught, that when God looks at the sinner He sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
This doctrine of "the righteousness of Jesus Christ being transferred to the believer" is pure heresy and is only supported with conjecture by reading it into selected verses like 2Cor 5:21 and Rom 3:22.
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We are made the righteousness of God (God's standard) by abiding in Jesus Christ as we walk after the Spirit having been raised up by the power of God after we have crucified our flesh in repentance. By faith we yield to the power of God who energises us, quickening our Spirit within.
This magical transfer of righteousness is pure fantasy simply because righteousness and sin are moral actions and thus are not transferable properties. You cannot transfer a moral action from one person to another. Nobody can transfer their righteousness or their sinfulness to another person because neither righteousness nor sinfulness are properties of substance. Righteousness and sinfulness are descriptive terms of the nature of an individuals heart and the related conduct which flows from that heart.
Jesus bore our sins as a sin offering but He was not transformed into a sinner literally or forensically on the cross and declared guilty. God never looked at Jesus as a guilty sinner and to teach such a thing is utter blasphemy.
Neither are we transformed forensically into a righteous person and declared innocent while in reality we still walk in the lusts of the flesh in rebellion to God.
This magic cloak has God pretending that a wicked and vile sinner is Jesus, thus it is actually teaching that instead of God being able to bring man up to His standard, God has to blind Himself so as to pretend man is something He is not. What absurdity.
Jesus came to purify us, not to cloak us forensically.
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might
redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
By teaching the "Blessed Exchange" Martin Luther completely disconnected deeds done in the body from the condition of the soul. This is exactly what Augustine did when he brought gnostic philosophy into Christian orthodoxy and it is no surprise because Martin Luther was an Augustinian Monk.
Jesus Christ did not teach ANYTHING REMOTELY CLOSE to this doctrine of the Blessed Exchange. False teachers read this foolish doctrine into select verses of scripture. The epistle of James completely blows this foolishness out of the water and that is why these heretics have to explain James away.
Here is what Martin Luther said about the book of James...
In a word St. John’s Gospel and his first epistle, St. Paul’s epistles, especially Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians, and St. Peter’s first epistle are the books that show you Christ and teach you all that is necessary and salvatory for you to know, even if you were never to see or hear any other book or doctrine. Therefore St. James’ epistle is really an epistle of straw,11 compared to these others, for it has nothing of the nature of the gospel about it. But more of this in the other prefaces.]12
Luther's Works, Vol 35, Word and Sacrament, Fortress Press, 1960
http://www.vasynod.org/files/BibleStudy/GreatestHits/Vol%2035%20Romans.pdf
Martin Luther did not like what James wrote about faith and works thus he simply dismissed it. James teaches that faith is an active dynamic rather than mere passive belief which directly contradicts the "faith alone" of Martin Luther.
Jas 2:17 Even so
faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Modern heretics today also dismiss the above passage by James. They either explain it away by teaching that the book of James is not applicable to the Church by quoting Jam 1:1 where it says James is writing to "the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad" implying that the Jews were given a different Gospel than the one Paul preached to the Gentiles. Or they twist it by teaching that the justification that James speaks of is "before men" and is different to the justification of Romans chapter 4 which they teach is before God. Or they simply ignore what James teaches. Anyone who is truly honest will see right through these lies.
James specifically states that "man is not justified by faith alone." Right there in Scripture it plainly states that the "faith alone" of Martin Luther is a lie.
Martin Luther also said this...
13. If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2. Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign. It suffices that through God's glory we have recognized the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day. Do you think such an exalted Lamb paid merely a small price with a meager sacrifice for our sins? Pray hard for you are quite a sinner.
Martin Luther, Letter From Luther to Melanchthon Letter no. 99, 1 August 1521
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/letsinsbe.txt
Now while, in fair context, Martin Luther is not teaching that one should go out and commit adultery. Yet he is clearly teaching that YOU CAN commit adultery and that IF YOU DO it would have no bearing on the outcome of your salvation because justification and therefore salvation is purely of a forensic nature. Salvation is abstract in his mind and has nothing to do with what you do.
This error is widely taught and believed by millions of people today. It offers a false assurance of salvation to those who still continue in their sin. All these people have swallowed hook, line and sinker Satan's first lie of "Ye Shall Not Surely Die." The lie has simply been repackaged in the great swelling words of the theologians who are simply the ravenous wolves that appear as lambs which Jesus warned us about.
Do not be deceived by these false teachers nor by their false converts who hate the truth of Scripture.
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2Ti 4:3 For
the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even
as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2Pe 2:2 And
many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
2Pe 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
2Pe 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds
2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
2Pe 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
2Pe 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
2Pe 2:14
Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
2Pe 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
2Pe 2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
2Pe 2:17
These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
2Pe 2:18
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2Pe 2:19
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Don't be deceived! Repent and obey God. Trust in Jesus Christ by abiding in the Spirit of life of Jesus Christ through which we are able to live in victory over the works of the devil.