Be Thou an example of the Believers

The best way to convert someone to a belief is to live the very thing you are preaching. In his sermon made to the convocation at Paul's, rather than attacking the followers of Wycliffe, Colet chastises his fellow clergy in an attempt to help the church and them experience a reformation.

By Bartolomeo Montagna -St. Paul

Colet makes a plea to authority, he calls to the memory of the clergy the memory of Paul, in who's cathedral they stood. Paul was a symbol of one who not only stood for reformation, but had experienced it himself. I have often felt the weight of Paul's words, "Be ye not conformed to the world". There is no good in believing something if it does not change who you are. Martin Luther was disgusted by what he saw in Rome. The very abominations that he preached about were being committed by the priests themselves.

As a missionary in Korea, this was the biggest obstacle to overcome. There were restaurants designed so that Buddhist Priests could eat meat and drink in the back room. There were preachers driving Lamborghinis, and the tallest buildings in many of the neighborhoods were the massive churches, surrounded by slum conditions. The people hated religion because of what they saw as hypocrisy.

Colet was right that if the church was to be saved, the priest needed a reformation. As a member of the church of Jesus Christ I hope that I can live up to that standard and be an example of the believers.



St. Paul(~1500) - Bartolomeo Montagna -wikicommons ( Public Domain)