“Under the outward appearance of the Gospel, they honor and serve the devil, thus deserving death tenfold in body and soul.” Luther's brutal words against Germany's rebellious peasants in 1525 reveal the complex reality of the Reformation. The repression of the rebellion by the German aristocracy was swift and violent, resulting in the deaths of over 70,000 German peasants. The rebellion targeted the social and political oppression of peasants in the early 16th century. The peasants found a new justification for the revolt in the promising words of Martin Luther. Luther proclaimed a new freedom for the Christian soul, and the peasants applied his idea to their circumstances. However, a dichotomy has emerged between spiritual freedom and worldly freedom. Luther argued that good Christians were spiritually free but still subject to temporal laws. The kingdom of God and the kingdom of man were separate spheres. Luther rejected attempts to integrate spiritual freedom into the temporal sphere. temporal authority. Using the Scriptures as justification for the rebellion, the peasants not only blasphemed the name of God but also acted against the natural order commanded by God. First, before exploring Luther's rejection of the peasant revolt, one must examine his explanation of freedom Christian. Written in 1520, The Freedom of the Christian proclaimed the new freedom to be found in salvation through faith alone. His doctrine freed from the works but also from the laws of the Old Testament. Salvation was found in the promise of Go...... middle of paper ......ian, in Hans Hillerbrand (ed.), The Protestant Reformation (1968), pp. 39 (From now on Luther, FC)Luther, FC, p. 43Luther, FC, p. x43Martin Luther, Governmental Authority, in Hans Hillerbrand (ed.), The Protestant Reformation (1968), pp. 74Ozment, p.273Ozment, p. 277The twelve articles of the Swabian peasants, in Hans Hillerbrand (ed.), The Protestant Reformation (1968), pp. 95 (henceforth twelve articles) Twelve articles, p. 95Twelve Articles, p. 95Twelve Articles, p. 95-96Twelve articles, p. 97Twelve Articles, p. 96-97Twelve articles, p. 97Martin Luther, Friendly Admonition to Peace, in Hans Hillerbrand (ed.), The Protestant Reformation (1968), pp. 99 (Hereafter Luther FP)Luther , FP, p.101Luther , FP, p.103Luther , FP, p.105Luther , FP, p.106Luther , FP, p.109Luther , FP, p..115