Love Under Fire

Luther Summoned to Appear

The council now demanded that Luther appear before them. The emperor finally consented, and Luther was summoned. With the summons he was granted a safe-conduct. A herald took these to Wittenberg, with instructions to bring Luther to Worms. LF 66.1

Knowing the prejudice and hatred against him, Luther's friends feared that his safe-conduct would not be honored. He replied: “Christ will give me His Spirit to overcome these ministers of error. I despise them during my life; I will triumph over them by my death. They are busy at Worms to force me to retract, and this will be my retraction: I said before that the pope was Christ's vicar, but now I assert that he is the Lord's adversary and the devil's apostle.”⁷ LF 66.2

Besides the imperial messenger, three friends determined to go with Luther. Melanchthon's heart was knit to Luther's, and he wanted to follow him. But Luther denied his pleas. The Reformer told him: “If I do not return, and my enemies put me to death, continue to teach, and stand firmly in the truth. Labor in my place.... If you survive, my death will be of little importance.”⁸ LF 66.3

Gloomy forebodings filled the minds of the people. They learned that Luther's writings had been condemned at Worms. The herald, afraid for Luther's safety at the council, asked if he still wanted to go forward. He answered, “Although condemned in every city, I shall go on.”⁹ LF 66.4

At Erfurt, Luther passed through the streets he had often walked, visited his convent cell, and thought about the struggles that had brought to his heart the light now flooding Germany. People urged him to preach. He had been forbidden to do so, but the herald gave him permission, and the friar who had once slaved at the worst duties of the convent now entered the pulpit. LF 66.5

The people listened as if spellbound. Luther broke the bread of life to those starving souls. He lifted up Christ before them as higher than popes, church officials, emperors, and kings. Luther made no reference to his own dangerous position. In Christ he had lost sight of self. He hid behind the Man of Calvary, seeking only to present Jesus as the sinner's Redeemer. LF 66.6