500th Anniversary of the Reformation

[sdbrison]

Growing up in the small town Bible belt of the south I had very little exposure to Christianity outside of the denominations in the area, Baptist, Church of Christ, Assembly of God, and the United Methodist church that I grew up in. College brought exposure to Catholicism thru the interfaith center I was involved, and to the role of the reformation in the western civilization and the splintering of the church in the 16th century. Here are a few links from different perspectives about this event that started when Martin Luther posted his 95 theses to the castle church door.

From a Lutheran perspective, our pastors sermon from this past reformation Sunday:

http://pastoralmeanderings.blogspot....formation.html

From a prominent primarily Catholic publication:

https://www.firstthings.com/web-excl...e-wrath-of-god

Documentary aired on public television:

http://www.pbs.org/program/martin-lu...changed-world/

[msethsmile]

500! Remember, the denominations mentioned above and many others sprouted from the Reformation. The PBS documentary mentioned above is the secular version. The religious version (same actors-different editing--produced by Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) is more of what the Reformation was about from a faith perspective: We are saved by grace thru faith. True enough, the Reformation touched political, economic, social, and religious values. By far the most important was a return to orthodoxy--the original intent of the Christ for His bride--the Church.
Romans 1:17 ...a righteousness FROM God is revealed...as it is written "the righteous will live by faith." (my emphasis)( quote Habakkuk 2:4)

[msethsmile]

95 Theses
#1 (paraphrase) The life of a Christian is one of daily repentance.

Ps 51:17; The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

King David wrote that (under the Holy Spirit) after he was confronted by the prophet Nathan about murdering Uriah to gain Uriah's wife Bathsheba. David knew something about failure (murder/adultery), about repentance, about forgiveness and restoration. God called David "a man after my own heart". God used this illicit relationship to produce a son in the lineage of Christ: Solomon, whose name is a derivative of the word 'peace' (shalom). Solomon's reign was one of peace for Israel but it pointed toward something vastly more important--peace between God and man thru Solomon's greater son--Christ.---a righteousness from God.

This greater son, Christ, declared from the cross "It is finished." Man has been declared once and for all 'not guilty' before God.--

Matthew 19:25-26 ...the disciples...asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

[msethsmile]

What was the Reformation all about? They speak for themselves:
(Yeah, I know--the Reformation was a century earlier, the waves just kept coming)

"Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense"
by unknown author, 1653
Translated based on Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878

1. Jesus Christ, my sure Defense
And my Savior, ever Iiveth;
Knowing this, my confidence
Rests upon the hope it giveth
Though the night of death be fraught
Still with many an anxious thought.


2. Jesus, my Redeemer, lives;
I, too, unto life shall waken.
Endless joy my Savior gives;
Shall my courage, then, be shaken?
Shall I fear, or could the Head
Rise and leave His members dead?


3. Nay, too closely am I bound
Unto Him by hope forever;
Faith's strong hand the Rock hath found,
Grasped it, and will leave it never;
Even death now cannot part
From its Lord the trusting heart.


4. I am flesh and must return
Unto dust, whence I am taken;
But by faith I now discern
That from death I shall awaken
With my Savior to abide
In His glory, at His side.


5. Glorified, I shall anew
With this flesh then be enshrouded;
In this body I shall view
God, my Lord, with eyes unclouded;
In this flesh I then shall see
Jesus Christ eternally.


9. Laugh to scorn the gloomy grave
And at death no longer tremble;
He, the Lord, who came to save
Will at last His own assemble.
They will go their Lord to meet,
Treading death beneath their feet.


10. Oh, then, draw away your hearts
Now from pleasures base and hollow.
There to share what He imparts,
Here His footsteps ye must follow.
Fix your hearts beyond the skies,
Whether ye yourselves would rise.

[sdbrison]

https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2017/11/a-rose-in-bloom-luthers-reformation-at-500

[msethsmile]

1 The three legs of the Reformation are: we are saved by Grace alone thru Faith alone as found in Scripture alone. Any departure is seen as heterodox (not agreeing with Christianity's original teachings).--hello LCMS St Louis Seminary which currently teaches higher criticism.*

Its all about certainty of salvation. God said it and that's that. Messing around with Scripture destroys that certainty and ultimately the Gospel.

The devil in Genesis 3, "Did God really say...?"---attacking God's word, sowing disbelief, reducing the Gospel. Adam and Eve responded by trusting in their own sin tainted reason and despising God's word. God sent Christ to fix man's penchant towards evil.

Psalm 118:8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

*higher criticism--man in his 'wisdom' looks down on Scripture and decides which passage is legit and which is not. Man decides the meaning of words and terms. Oops, error in the system. Man's reason is tainted by sin and therefore incapable of interpreting Scripture correctly. Reformation: Only Scripture can interpret Scripture, that is, Scripture interprets itself. This the difference between orthodox and heterodox. Certainty of salvation and uncertainty.

[msethsmile]

The 1 year Lectionary for Reformation Day has 2 Chronicles 29:12-19.--The account of King Hezekiah cleansing the Temple. What?? The Temple had become corrupt and even had idol worship within its walls. The priests consecrated themselves and started to clean. It took them eight days just to reach the front porch. Apply this to the church at the time of the Reformation.

Today: The Temple of the Holy Spirit is in each believers heart. Has it become corrupt? Idols within its walls?

What was true in Hezekiah's time, true in the Reformation, true today:
Ezekiel 18:32 "I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live."*

*repentance = contrition + faith