And what if a thousand-and-one patriarchs had been unfaithful to their
calling, where would we be today sans Scripture? I'm thinking particularly
of the John Huses, Wycliffes, even Luthers and Calvins. Scarey thoughts,
indeed.
John
+++++++++++++++++++
Food for thought:
On the other hand, if Luther had failed, would there be a Schweitzern
church, whose founder lived contemporary with, or shortly after, Luther's
time, and who picked up the mantle of the reformation? (Schweitzer is just
a fine German name--prehaps the founder could have been named Muller,
Ginter, even Hitler?? Now there's a weird thought.). Prehaps Zwingli (the
Swiss reformer) would be remembered as Luther is now.
In reviewing history, we talk about how the conditions were ripe for the
reformation. Could not God have used another insightfull person for the
role of Luther, Calvin, etc.? Indeed, the reformation would not have gone
far without the many secondary leaders who were prepared by God for that
role. Prehaps if Luther failed, the next Luther could have been prepared by
God in another decade. Instead, this spare Luther followed Luther.
The fact that the "big three" reformers of the reformation (Luther, Calvin,
and Zwingli) were so contemporary implies that they were the first and most
memorable, but not especially unique (beyond their talents, and leadership
skills) in the panorama of time.
After all, when Elijah felt he was the only Godly man left, God told him
that there were 5,000 (?) who had not bent their knees to Baal.
Of course, it is pure speculation to say that if Abraham had failed God, God
would have raised up another Abraham. We know from scripture that God
chooses and guides people. But out of all the potential Abrahams, God knew
that Abraham (and his children) would be the ones to follow through, with
God's guidance.
Dennis Sweitzer