Reformation Day Martin Luther
Eph. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Grace is knowing God can
Faith is knowing God will.
Today the church is preaching people happy
but not preaching people free.
Martin Luther (1483–1546) was born in Eisleben, Saxony (now Germany), to parents Hans and Margaretta. Luther’s father was a prosperous businessman, and when Luther was young,
his father moved the family of 10 to Mansfeld.
At age five, Luther began his education at a local school where he learned reading, writing and Latin (age 5). At 13, Luther began to attend a school run by the Brethren of the Common Life in Magdeburg. The Brethren’s teachings focused on personal piety, and while there, Luther developed an early interest in becoming a Monk.
After 20 years of study, he was committed to the idea that salvation could be reached through faith and by divine grace only, he vigorously objected to the corrupt practice of selling indulgences.
In the teaching of the Catholic Church, an indulgence is "a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins" which may reduce either or both of the penance required after a sin has been forgiven, or after death, the time to be spent in Purgatory (Ill..). Acting on this belief, he wrote the “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences,” also known as “The 95 Theses,” a list of questions and propositions for debate. On October 31, 1517 Luther defiantly nailed a copy of his 95 Theses
to the door of the Wittenberg Castle church.
The first two of the theses contained Luther’s central idea, that God intended believers to seek repentance and that faith alone, and not deeds, would lead to salvation. The other 93 theses,
a number of them directly criticizing the practice of indulgences, supported these first two.
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
"Today is Reformation Sunday."
Eph. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith;
The Message of Reformation not a message that began with Martin Luther but with Jesus Christ, the first true reformer. It is something that is to continue today - in the church and in your hearts.
2000 Years Ago Jesus was teaching in the temple court. Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, to try Jesus. They told Him that the Law of Moses said that she was to be stoned.
If He agreed, He would have gone against Roman law. If not, he would be against the law of Moses. They did not present any evidence and the guilty man was to be punished as well. They were using and altering the law for their own benefit. Jesus, did not argue whether she was guilty or not. Rather, he challenged the one without sin to throw the first stone. In other words, all are guilty of sin and we all need forgiveness.
Jesus went on to tell who He was. Then, He then speaks to those who profess to believe that He
is God and challenges them as to whether they are truly His disciples. He says to the church before the Reformation, He says to the church today, and he says to the each one of us:
"If you hold to my teaching, you are “truly” my disciples, then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Not just to believe my word, but to hold on to it - you abide in it or dwell in it, you live it every day. Then, we’re free, sons of God, free for ever, we have a permanent place in the family of God. Jesus is the Reformer.
1500 years later, the situation was still the same.
Martin Luther, struggling with church doctrine, knew, both Jews and Christians had forgotten
the simple truth and added their own rules.
There were 3 pictures that influenced Luther and made Him see the need for Reform: As a 14 year old, two pictures were impressed on his mind:
An altarpiece in a church, showed a boat sailing toward heaven. In the boat were the pope, the cardinals, bishops, monks and priests. The latter were tending oars and sails and were casting ropes to laymen struggling in the water.
Some were clinging to ropes while others were drowning. No laymen were in the boat and no clergy in the water. Over the ship, directing its course, was the Holy Spirit.
It pictured that the laity were utterly dependent on the clergy for their salvation. Only those declared saved by the priests was actually saved.
Second picture was of Prince William of Anhalt. He became a monk and begged in the streets for alms. Luther was ashamed of his own life when he saw this man, worn down to skin and bones. This helped him to decide to become a monk so he too could renounce the world and assure his own salvation. He thought by works and denial.
Third was a picture Luther saw as a concept,
in his mind. The concept of God as a stern judge who demanded righteousness and was so far removed from man that he could only be approached thru Mary or the priests. The more Luther tried to please God the more he realized he could not do it. He turned to the Word in despair. He read Rom 1:17 - "The righteous will live by faith" and Rom 3:38 "for we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law".
Eph. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith.
FINALLY HE WAS FREED INDEED!
These words were a release from His anguish.
He was freed from trying to do that which is impossible - freed from a sense of guilt, failure, and freed from the terror of sin. Freed from being a slave to sin and freed to be a son of God. With this new discovery he tried to show the church its wrongs, but they would not listen. They excommunicated Him and the Protestant church was born. Luther and other Reformers like Calvin called the church to get back to the basics, the Word of God Alone is the rule of faith.
Today, the problem is not over. Even though we are the children of God, we’re still subject to error - whether it is because of pride or anything else, the church keeps on shifting away from the simple truth. Many believers have strayed and struggle with keeping proper balance.
The key is BALANCE,” II Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
I read a speech saying, changes in the church must include “openness” to abortion, same sex marriage, ordaining homosexuals, assisted suicide and infanticide (killing children within one year of birth). This is “not” the spirit of the Reformation because it is in direct contradiction to the Word of God. So how do we decide what is reform and what is rebellion. Jesus says,
"the truth will set you free". Over and over we need to go back to God’s word to see where we fall short. When we need correction, we need to be brought back to God’s way and His will. I see liberalism trying to pull us far far away from the Word of God. We must remain in line with His Word, we must “stay” in God’s Holy Word.
The problem is not just with the church but with each one of us. When we first believe, we are constantly in the Word. Then we think we know it all and so we don’t spend as much time in it. Soon we no longer feel set free by Christ. We are slaves to sinful ways, slaves to legalism and falling short as Luther felt. We need to move forward in faith, as a church and individuals, to be reformed and renewed. By grace are ye saved through faith
Luther’s 95 Theses
1. The purpose of man, is to glorify God.
2. Back to Acts.
3. Church is not a social club or sports event.
4. It’s about the community not the individual.
5. Priesthood of believers isn’t acknowledged.
6. We’ve lost the concept of being grafted in.
7. We need to teach the whole Bible.
8. Scriptures taken too lightly.
9. Word of God not studied enough.
10. Scriptures not practiced.
11. Worship is worldly. Idol worship.
12. Church worldly, world churchy.
13. More money on media than on missions.
14. Discipleship taken to lightly.
15. Lack of discipleship and obedience.
16. Parts of life spiritual other parts secular.
17. Rebellion concerning obedience.
18. Fasting and prayer considered legalistic.
19. No heart of Evangelism.
20. Disobedience, confession, shallow lives.
21. No repentance and discipleship.
22. Forgiveness without repentance, discipleship without obedience, salvation without sanctity.
23. No godly sorrow over sin.
24. Love of self, more than others.
25. Idolization of personalities.
26. Leaders with watered down message.
27. Leaders don’t know the Scriptures.
28. Professionalization of the leadership.
29. Leaders want to be celebrities.
30. Pastors must trust the Spirit, not statistics.
31. True Prophets being stoned by criticism.
32. God’s prophets ill-treated and shunned.
33. False prophets rule by their own power.
34. False gospels preached from many pulpits.
35. Epidemic of a “mock” salvation message.
36. Salvation without holiness.
37. Too much unbelief of the Word.
38. Christians need to live it.
39. Professors of religion teaching heresy.
40. Preach happiness of man, not glory of God.
41. Smooth words to entice men, no correction.
42. Focus totally on success and prosperity.
43. Focus totally on self-improvement.
44. Men, and not Christ, are glorified.
45. No Bible, no cross, no mention of the blood.
46. Worship cold, no sense of God’s presence.
47. Comfortable in their sin.
48. Use the pulpit for a personal agenda.
49. Division between races and cultures.
50. Ungodly movements and empty prophesying.
51. Preachers tell off color jokes.
52. Use gimmicks to get money.
53. Unscriptural salvation.
54. Lives don’t show evidence of salvation.
55. Preaching love without obedience, holiness.
56. Unscriptural evangelism.
57. Gospel of love and grace, without holiness.
58. False revelation.
59. False conversions.
60. “I never knew you,” not preached.
61. Men taking the place of the Holy Spirit.
62. The doctrine of hell not preached.
63. The judgment seat of Christ not preached.
64. The second coming of Christ not preached.
65. The church has lost the fear of God.
66. Evangelism ignored.
67. Repentance not preached.
68. The Lordship of Jesus Christ not preached.
69. Not open to correction, discipline or rebuke.
70. Salvation as theory not fact.
71. Loss of the majesty of the gospel.
72. Sin not preached.
73. Covetousness, consumerism, and coddling.
74. Resurrection of Jesus Christ not preached.
75. More on technology than theology.
76. No prayer meetings.
77. Pastors pray less.
78. No waiting on God for His direction.
79. Many organizers, but few agonizers.
80. Gifts of the Spirit rejected.
81. No serious, sober, self-controlled Christianity.
82. The "church" has forgotten how to pray.
83. Dependent on tradition over Holy Spirit.
84. Teach that you cannot be freed from sin
85. Christ preached ability to be free from sin.
86. Sinners not saved to sin, saved to holiness.
87. Justification of sin and not the sinner.
88. No baptism of holiness preached.
89. Confused about obedience, and good works.
90. No emphasis to be like Jesus.
91. Christ for a “glorious Church.”
92. Christ regenerates an impure heart.
93. Holy Church is God’s blessing to the world.
94. Christianity is no theory.
95. Unbelief has gagged and bound us as.
Eph. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith.
Happy Reformation Day
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