Day 04 - Coburg Fortress

Today we had a beautiful drive from Erfurt to Coburg that included sweeping views of the countryside as well as long tunnels through forested mountains. Coburg Fortress is a medieval fortress in the Bavarian area of Germany. We had a chance to wander through the castle/fortress and enjoy the art, woodwork, architecture, and artifacts. Martin Luther spent several months hiding out here as he was under the Imperial Ban for suggesting that some Catholic doctrines were actually not biblical. While he was there he continued his work of translating the Bible into German, to bring accessibility of the Word to the common people. Something that is being reiterated here on this trip (also in my own life just before this trip while studying Colossians) is the reminder that it is “Jesus plus nothing”. Not Jesus plus works or Jesus plus a political party. It’s not Jesus plus coffee or Jesus plus indulgences. Martin and Katherine Luther are credited for saying, "We believe that the very beginning and end of salvation and the sum of Christianity, consists of faith in Christ, who by His blood alone, and not by any works of ours, has put away sin, and destroyed the power of death.”

And to that I say, “Amen”.