During the Reformation, people were taught they could buy their way out of sins with things called indulgences. Indulgences were grants given by the pope to forgive sins. They could forgive sins you have comminted or sins of your living or dead realtives. People back then really believed it; they thought they could but their way into salvation. As Luther puts it, Christians should be exhorted to be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, death and hell./And thus be confident of entering into heaven through many tribulations rather than through the false security of peace. He cites Acts 14:22 here, which says “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God”. Another quote is from Acts 4:12 which says “Salvation
