Happy Reformation Day to one and all! This significant, yet overlooked holiday celebrates the historical relevance of the posting of a long list of grievances against the Roman Catholic Church by the Augustinian monk Martin Luther on October 31st, 1517 in the German town of Wittenberg. Luther’s consternation centered around the repugnant practice of selling indulgences to the poor and naive populace in order to fund the construction of the lavish St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Two great theological issues Luther brought to light were the lost biblical doctrines of justification by faith alone and the authority of Scripture. They are historically referred to as the doctrines of Sola Fide and Sola Scriptura. Luther, after much wrestling with the scriptures, discovered that man is justified by God’s grace through faith alone. No human work of any sort contributed to his status before God. Faith in the work of Christ already done on man’s behalf is the means by which he is declared not guilty before a just and holy God. This doctrine is based upon the belief that the scriptures are sufficient unto all life and godliness for the believer. No pope or councils of Bishops and religious leaders can add or subtract one jot or tittle from the God-breathed scriptures. Upon this foundation Martin Luther made his stand. Will we stand with him? God help us if we don’t!
On this occasion, the Day of the Reformed, let all of us who fall under the label of ‘Protestant’ rejoice that we have been delivered from the iron bonds of Romish traditions and damnable heresies. Thank God that he used a frail and thoroughly flawed man like Martin Luther to unveil once again his amazing grace to sinners everywhere through his son, Jesus Christ.
A Peculiar Pilgrim 
Hey Brandon, I just started listening to my pastor’s Sunday School lectures on church history again, and yesterday spent all day in the 16th century. Honestly, next to the first three centuries of the Christian church, the 16th is my favorite! The passion for God’s sole glory and all that was tied up with that, just oozes out of everything those guys wrote during that revolutionary time!
Thanks for being one of the few who took the time to reflect and appreciate all that God used those amazing men to accomplish for us!
I’ve always been a history buff and I plain get juiced up when it comes to studying the history of the Reformation. I love reading every little tidbit I can get hold of. Regrettably, I know next to nothing about early church history. Do you have any good books on the subject you can recommend me?
Not so much a book, but a class that David Calhoun did from Covenant Theological Seminary. You can download the whole lecture series on Ancient and Medeival Church History from either the seminary’s website or monergism too. He uses several good books for the class, but even just listening to the series was incredibly helpful and informational! Have you ever read Alister McGrath’s “Christianity’s Dangerous Idea”; that was probably one of the best books I’ve read on the reformation of the 16th century…long though.