The Church is supposed to be a priesthood of believers according to Luther. Hence those of faith in the Lord are saved in a self-standing way apart from ecclesiastical organization that is of-the-world. Augustine for example wrote of the City of Man and the City of God. And a Christian may be thought of as in the world though not of it. The kingdom of God is within yet isn't temporal and of the world though the Christian is.
There were many true Christians affiliated with the Catholic Church as well as the Celtic Church that continued until the reformation. Luther for example was saved before he and Melanchton began their works of correcting the elements of the Church that had gone off course. Luther envisioned one true Church of believers though it is transcendent. Christian legalism and rituals can be not enough concerned with living faith in the same way that Jesus was critical of the Jewish establishment that was formal and not of the heart. I think some people forget the difficulties of generally pre-literate society and the church in continuing true doctrine.
There were many true Christians affiliated with the Catholic Church as well as the Celtic Church that continued until the reformation. Luther for example was saved before he and Melanchton began their works of correcting the elements of the Church that had gone off course. Luther envisioned one true Church of believers though it is transcendent. Christian legalism and rituals can be not enough concerned with living faith in the same way that Jesus was critical of the Jewish establishment that was formal and not of the heart. I think some people forget the difficulties of generally pre-literate society and the church in continuing true doctrine.
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