Happy Monday, my friends! And Happy November!! Can you believe it??
I’m still in Colorado, but was thinking about something this past weekend and just had to share it with you.
Growing up Southern Baptist, we never learned about Reformation Day, or all of those other Liturgial holy days, so I’m on a quest to learn as much as I can and to discover what we can glean by celebrating them in our homes today.
So, as many of you are aware, besides being Halloween, October 31st is also known as Reformation Day, the day that Martin Luther nailed the Ninety-Five-Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517. But if you’re like me, that might be the extent of what you know about this special observance.
Until I did some reading, I had NO IDEA that this Theses and the work of Martin Luther is credited for the beginning of the Protestent denomination {where have I been???} and for calling the church back to the Biblical foundation of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. Praise the Lord!
In fact, it has been said that next to what we celebrate as Christians on Christmas and Easter, this is the next most significant move of God’s Spirit since the days of the Apostles. And, it’s brought the greatest transformation to Western society since the apostles first preached the Gospel throughout the Roman empire.
“Though preached clearly in the New Testament and found in the writings of many of the church fathers, the medieval bishops and priests had largely forgotten the truth that our own good works can by no means merit God’s favor. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, and good works result from our faith, they are not added to it as the grounds for our right standing in the Lord’s eyes (Eph. 2:8-10). Justification, God’s declaration that we are not guilty, forgiven of sin, and righteous in His sight comes because through our faith alone the Father imputes, or reckons to our account, the perfect righteousness of Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).
Martin Luther’s rediscovery of this truth led to a whole host of other church and societal reforms and much of what we take for granted in the West would have likely been impossible had he never graced the scene. Luther’s translation of the Bible into German put the Word of God in the hands of the people, and today Scripture is available in the vernacular language of many countries, enabling lay people to study it with profit. He reformed the Latin mass by putting the liturgy in the common tongue so that non-scholars could hear and understand the preached word of God and worship the Lord with clarity. Luther lifted the unbiblical ban on marriage for the clergy and by his own teaching and example radically transformed the institution itself. He recaptured the biblical view of the priesthood of all believers, showing all people that their work had purpose and dignity because in it they can serve their Creator.”
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/what-reformation-day-all-about/
Reformation Day is the “modern” day that the Light of the Gospel once again broke forth out of Darkness, where the religious leaders had hidden it! Aren’t we thankful?
8 For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God;
9 not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].
10 For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].
Ephesians 2:8-10, AMP
As we enter this season of Gratitude, what better way to begin than to express our deep appreciation for God’s grace, and for the truth that we are saved by faith through grace, and not through our own works… Which gloriously means that NOTHING we do can make us earn our salvation and eternal life in heaven, and NOTHING we can do can make us lose it either!
For more reading on Reformation Day, here are a few helpful articles:
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/what-reformation-day-all-about/
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/what-is-reformation-day/
https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2013/10/five-bible-verses-to-read-on-reformation-day/
God’s Grace… It’s the best reason of all to make us smile!
Much love and a Blessed Monday to you~
