Of Protestant Reformation - Motion, Reformation and Celebration /Part 2
The Sermon Central readership would recall that whilst ending the First part of this series, I had stated that in the ensuing second part of the same, I would be focusing on the 5 “Solas” (Latin term meaning essentially “principle” in English) which undergirded the Reformation Movement (as per Church historians these principles’ evolved over a period of time and not all at once) and their relevance thereof in contemporary Christendom. So here goes...
Sola Scriptura (Bible alone)...
It fundamentally means that the infallible Word of God has to be the sole basis for understanding God’s counsel in any matter. Take for instance, Mary’s mediatory role which the Catholic Church was deifying but the Reformers’ defied on the basis of truth-defining Scripture portions such as John 14:6, 1 Tim 2:5 and Rom 8:34 which leave none in doubt that the mediatory role belongs to Jesus and Jesus alone.
Coming to the present day Christendom (in the contemporary Protestant Church) once again the Bible alone needs to be banked upon in immediately identifying the “Wolf who come in sheep clothing” (Not only cultists’ (2 John 1:7-10) like Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses’ but also Prosperity Gospel preachers like Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Copeland etc- Matt 7:15/ 2 Tim 4:3). There is no shortage of prosperity Gospel preachers in the present scenario who would pander to those with “itching ears” assuring them of “riches all the way” in following Christ, when the truth is to the contrary (Philippians 3:18-21). Hey...the Early Church preached not the Gospel of Prosperity but the Gospel of Adversity- John 16:30/ Acts 14:22/ Phil 1:30!!! Now who is to tell these folks that our Heavenly Father in the NT Dispensation would provide richly only as per our need and not as per our greed (Matt 6:33/ 1 Tim 6:6-10)!!!
I would encourage all the Christians’ of the present generation to take a leaf out of the Berean Believers’ book by cross-checking what all is being preached with the Grand Ole’ Book (Acts 17:10-12). It pays to be well-grounded in the Scripture for then only we can distinguish between a teaching which is in conformity with it and the one which is not. As it is said “One can identify a crooked line only when he knows how a straight line looks”. Mind you, another word for The Bible is “Canon” meaning a measuring “Straight line” (in Classical Latin).
Sola Fide (Faith alone)...
Habukkuk 2:4 (B) which formed crux of the life-changing, Reformation-triggering Bible portion (Romans 1:17) of Martin Luther would read as “The righteous shall live by his faith” in most of the translations but The Living Bible captures the essence of it better by paraphrasing it thus...
“This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight—when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith (emphasis mine)...”
The key operative words are “from start to finish by faith” meaning we get to right relationship with the Almighty on Earth and eventually go to Heaven not by acts such as one-time demonstration of human will as seen in scaling 28 steps of Scala Sancta but by consistent walk of faith marked by not only the
a) Right start-by being “born again” by placing our trust solely on the atoning work of Christ on the Cross to cleanse us of our sins ( I reiterate not on our one-time acts performed with human determination)
but also by the
b) Right finish-till the time of our physical departure from this World (i,e..death) arrives we would be working out our salvation day-by –day (bearing the Cross faithfully) through the power of the joyous, indwelling Holy Spirit who is given to every Christian at the time of his/her regeneration (Acts 13:52/ Rom 15:13/ Phil 2:12).... a la Paul (2 Tim 4:6-7/ Matt 24:13).
The usage of Hab 2:4 (B) by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews also whilst warning the Jews who were considering going back to Judaism after experiencing the joy of Salvation in Christ (Heb 10:34-38) is proof enough of the fact that the word “Faith” (in Hebrew Emunah and in Greek Pistis both meaning “steadfastness”) connotes not a faith of mere say 24 hours but one of perpetuity till the very end (Heb 12:1-3).
Why the Christians’ of the Jewish background (at the time Epistle of Hebrews was written) were thinking of going back to Judaism is a different subject altogether. Constraints of time and space may not permit Yours Truly to deal elaborately on that incidental subject. Suffice it to say (at this stage) that these Jews who were at the receiving end of severe persecution unleashed by half-insane Roman Emperor namely Nero on the Christians (and not on Jews) reasoned that since Judaism also had “sacred roots”, why not revert back to it whereby escaping persecution? That’s when the Author of Hebrews hits the straps, so to speak, to warn them of dire consequences of taking such a sacrilegious step (Heb 2:3), even whilst proving throughout his epistle as to how this “New Covenant through Christ” stands head and shoulders over the “Old one”.
Sola Gratia (Grace alone)...
In stark contrast of the Papal mandate such as continual recital of a certain prayer or performance of some good deeds or purchase of an indulgence by shelling out some money is required to absolve one’s sins, the Reformers’ took a Scriptural stand that the body and the blood of Jesus broken and shed for us respectively at Calvary alone can cleanse us of our sins be it at the time of regeneration (Heb 10:10) or in the course of a Christian’s journey (1 John 1:7). Thus forgiveness at all times that a penitent Christian (yes repenting sincerely is the only “work”, a Christian is required to do) obtains from the “Divine Judiciary” is purely an act of Grace by the Father seated on His Throne of Grace (Heb 4:16). Forgiveness, I reiterate has everything to do with the propitiatory work completed by the Son of God on the Cross and nothing to do with any of the “good works” the errant Believer may have performed with a view to merit the Divine forgiveness (by neutralization of his sins).
Historians tell us that with their warped theology, Catholics virtually “fired” James 2:24 which states “that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone” at Martin Luther without properly understanding that Paul (read Eph 2:7-10) and James actually were not contradicting each other but rather only complementing each other in the profound subject of “cause-effect” of the spiritual realm. Genuine redemptive faith is bound to result in good deeds and not vice-versa as some good deeds can be performed through sheer human determination also (these done with hands not cleansed by the blood of Christ do not find any favour with the Father). Talk of Mumbai smugglers’ setting up orphanages...
With the Doctrine of Hyper grace (you can commit any sin after becoming a Christian) on the prowl throughout Church history, so to speak (much of Jude’s epistle was spent in addressing that grave issue), whilst on the subject of grace, it is always worthwhile to temper the subject of God’s marvellous grace with what happened to some in the Early Church like some misguided souls of the Corinthian Church who attempted to take “God’s grace for granted”. Of them, these sombre words have been recorded “...many of you are weak and sick, and some have even died”- (1 Cor 11:30-TLB) which are in perfect fulfilment of the words recorded in Romans 6:15-16 (TLB) that read thus:
Does this mean that now we can go ahead and sin and not worry about it? (For our salvation does not depend on keeping the law but on receiving God’s grace!) Of course not!
Don’t you realize that you can choose your own master? You can choose sin (with death) or else obedience (with acquittal). The one to whom you offer yourself—he will take you and be your master, and you will be his slave.
Beware of Hyper grace preachers!!!
Solus Christus (Christ alone)...
With despicable doctrine which viewed Mary as the Divine mediator pervading the Catholic Church, the Reformers’ went about reorienting the Church to what the inerrant Scripture has taught regarding Christ’s mediatory role that He alone is the Way, Mediator and that there is salvation in no other Name under the sky than in His (John 14:6, I Tim 2:5, Rom 8:34, Acts 4:12).
Is any “Protestant Church” of today claiming that “membership” in their Church alone guarantees salvation (sadly some have sprouted to this effect)...then examine their claims in the light of the afore-referred Scripture portions. Christianity which emphasizes upon faithful, personal relationship with Christ (based on the Scripture) is the key to Salvation but not “Churchianity”!!!
Soli Deo Gloria (Glory of God alone)...
Glory belongs to God alone. God’s glory is the central motivation for salvation, not improving the lives of people—though that is a wonderful by product. God is not a means to an end—He is the means and the end.
The goal of all of Christian life is to give glory to God alone who would like not to share His Glory with anyone (Isa 42:8) be it any Church leader like Pope or any Church affiliation like the “all powerful” Roman Catholic Church or any Dead Saint like Antony: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). As The Westminster Catechism says, the chief purpose of human life is “to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”
Thanks to the Reformation Movement which was “of God, for God and by God”, it can be said affirmatively that today the Protestant Church (wherever it is under persecution) would resemble the Model Early Church to a large extent though it would have some “distance to traverse” in its pursuit of perfection just like the latter. However none would doubt the fact that it is certainly better off than its counterpart of the Dark ages. Praise God for the Reformers!!! Hallelujah!!!
Suresh Manoharan
