Reformation

October is a special month. October is the month we celebrate the beginning of the Lutheran Church. Of course I am referring to our celebration of Reformation Day on October 31. Dr. Martin Luther was not the first one to recognize problems in the church, but God used his words to set off the reformation. God’s timing is always right and true. The new world had been discover in 1492. The printing press had been invented by Gothenburg. Luther had been studying God’s Word and the Holy Spirit had been working on his heart.

When Luther wrote his 95 theses, these statements of faith were written simply for discussion among his educated peers. They were written the Latin which was the language of the educated and they were posted on the town bulletin board, which was the church door. The church was a prominent fixture in those days as people went to the church several times a day for morning, noon and evening mass. Little did Luther know that his words would be translated into the language of the people, German, and quickly printed and disbursed, thanks to Gothenburg’s printing press. And remember, Luther still did not completely understand what we believe, teach and confess as Lutheran’s today. His theology continued to “evolve” as he continued to study God’s Word, this “evolving” theology is why people will ask if a Luther statement was and “early” Luther statement or a “later” Luther statement.

The reformation brought a renewal of our understanding of a proper distinction between Law and Gospel. It brought a purer understanding of justification by grace through faith alone, apart from works. It brought us the Lord’s Supper in both kinds, that is that we now partake of the bread (body) and the wine (blood). It helped us understand that we can never enumerate our sins because we sin so often and so often we sin without even knowing it. And it gave us a liturgy that we can read and understand as it was now given in the language of the people, no longer simply in the Latin so only the priests could understand it.

As we celebrate the Reformation we would do well to keep our history in mind, lest we should be doomed to repeat it. The attacks of Satan on the Lord’s Church today continue to be similar attacks to the Church in Luther’s day. The Christian church in America continues to move away from sound Biblical Doctrine to that doctrine which itching ears wish to hear (2 Tim. 4:3-4). The Christian church in America continues to move away from sound Christian Doctrine to following the tolerant ways of the culture in every decadent sense of the word. So, as we celebrate the Reformation of the Church we pray that the Lord will continue to preserve His Church and will keep us steadfast in the fight for what is meet, right and salutary, for what is the truth according to God’s Word so that His Word and Church may remain.