Unknown Johann Tetzel Johann Tetzel At last, the time came when God called Luther to begin the work of the Reformation. It began when the church sold indulgences in Wittenberg. Indulgences were pieces of paper signed or stamped with the pope’s name. An indulgence declared that the person who bought that piece of paper had all his sins forgiven, even the sins he would commit in the future! He did not have to do penance for his sins; the paper was enough. When a man named Johann Tetzel came to sell indulgences in Luther’s area, Luther spoke out against this practice. Tetzel set up a table in the town square. Some of the monks who were with him set up a red flag that had the pope’s coat of arms on it, and then they seated themselves behind the table. “Come near,” shouted Tetzel, “and I will give you indulgences, letters sealed by the pope. Even the sins you do in the future shall all be forgiven you. Repentance is not necessary.6 What’s more, these letters will not only save the living, but also the dead! The very moment the money clinks against the bottom of the chest, the soul escapes from purgatory, and flies up to heaven. Bring your money! Bring your money!” A popular rhyme in those days ran, When the coin in the coffer rings,The soul from purgatory springs. Purgatory, the Roman Catholics believed, was a place of punishment where souls were purged, or cleansed, from sin by fire. They said the soul had to remain in purgatory until it was ready to go to heaven. Of course, Tetzel and the pope were wrong. It was all a terrible lie. Money and pieces of paper cannot save people from their sins. Besides, the money collected from the sale of indulgences was being used by the pope and the clergy to build beautiful churches and to live in luxury themselves.7 Luther was determined to stop this corrupt sale of indulgences. He spoke and preached against it. He proved from the Bible that this practice was false. He clearly and boldly declared that man can only be saved by the atoning8 blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.