Hi Folks,
I hope you had a super weekend!
I'm going to take a different devotional path this week. Instead of doing our usual HOPE devots. or focusing on Halloween (what Scripture has to say about the day, the history behind it and a more godly alternative), I am going to focus on another celebration occurring today.
Today is the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation! My pastor said that many Protestant churches will celebrate the Reformation, but not understand the meaning behind it, the Bible doctrines( teachings) that were placed in the spotlight or they may even deny/ not teach what was so loudly proclaimed!
Let me give you a bit of background on the Reformation, the heart of the matter and then the 5 main points of the Reformation which come directly from Scripture.
Quick History Behind the Reformation:
On October 31, 1517 a humble Monk named Martin Luther saw 95 things that were wrong and also lacking in the church at this time. At the cost of excommunication from the church and worse, he bravely wrote out 95 Theses (grievances) and publically nailed them to a church in Wittenburg, Germany.
The heart of the matter:
The Reformation was all about Jesus. It emphasized salvation was through Him alone and by faith in Him alone, not traditions made by man, that the Scriptures were the Infallible, Authoritative Word of God and that the Truths found within the Word of God needed to be proclaimed and shared with the common people.
Today, the Reformation is still about all Jesus, helping folks see their personal need of salvation through Him alone and proclaiming the Truths found in God's Word being the truth.
Below are the 5 main principles that were the heart of the Reformation and they are based directly on Scripture. It's at the heart of how we can get to Heaven! And if you do not know if you are going to Heaven, check out this link: http://thejourneyheavenward.blogspot.com/p/are-you-100-sure.html
Sola Scriptura=Scripture alone
2 Timothy 3:16, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, (means "God breathed") and is profitable for doctrine,( teaching) for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (godliness)"
1 Peter 1:20-21, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: (The Bible was not put together by man) but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
Sola Gratia=Grace Alone
Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Sola Fide= Faith Alone
Galatians 3:26, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ."
Romans 10:17, "...faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Romans 10:17, "...faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Solus Christus= Christ Alone
John 14:6, " Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Soli Deo Gloria = Glory to God Alone (Jesus alone did the work of getting us to Heaven and deserves the credit!)
1 Peter 2:21-24, "...because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps, Who did no sin, neither was guile (hypocrisy) found in his mouth:
Who, when he was reviled, (abused or angrily insulted) reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
Below is a song written esp. for Reformation Day that sums up the 5 tenets above. The first link is my favorite, gives me goose bumps, but the 2nd one has the words on slides so you can read the lyrics. The song is very powerful, taken from Scripture, so please listen.
The 2nd link I have included is a website dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. If you want to do some exploring, read more, this is a neat site, so I encourage you to check it out.
Pray you have a blessed week!
Reformation Song:
Reformation Website: https://lutheranreformation.or
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