Reformation Thoughts

Each year on the last Sunday of October, our church observes Reformation Sunday, a time of reflection and thanksgiving for the return to biblical Christianity that occurred after Martin Luther posted his ninety-five theses on the door of Wittenberg's Castle. During that time, it was common for people to mock the popes and the church, but no one identified the core problem until Luther questioned the theological and doctrinal foundation of the medieval church. As the common people had opportunity to read the theses Luther posted in 1517, the Reformation began to spread throughout the world.

"The chief slogans of the Reformation were sola fide (faith alone), sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (to God alone be glory). It was not that medieval Christians didn't believe in Scripture, grace, and God's glory, but that they believed that those were not sufficient. Beyond Scripture, the believer needed another word, another authority, additional teachings, rules, and regulations, Beyond grace the believer needed free will and cooperation. Beyond God's glory, there was room for taking a little credit for oneself. Each of the Reformation slogans should touch a bruised nerve as we observe the popular faith and piety of modern Christianity. A second Reformation is on the horizon...It's not an innovation, but a renovation; not a quest for the new and improved, but of the ancient and approved. It will not spotlight a few celebrities or establish a new personality cult. It will be a movement of the common Christian, the one who has to live his or her faith in the real world under the pressures of this hour." (The Agony of Deceit by Michael Horton, p. 250)

It's been so encouraging to see the winds of Reformational change blowing across our country in recent years. Even yesterday, I was made aware of the fact that there is a Reformation society in northeast Michigan, not too far north of us. They even have a blog! : ) Hopefully, we'll have a Reformation society in our area in the not too distant future. We are prayerful that the Lord will reform this spiritually anemic area of our state, so that many will experience the blessing of His salvation. And we are thankful for those the Lord is using to return us to the doctrines of grace. We are so blessed!