Why We Should Celebrate the Reformation

October 31^st 2017 marks the 500^th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, and I’m going to argue that every non-Catholic should at least take some time to reflect, if not celebrate, this momentous era in church history. Unfortunately, for many evangelicals today the Reformation is some vague event in the past that holds little or no significance. Many have no idea what took place or why, and probably don’t care. “Reformation Day?” they ask. “What are you talking about? Isn’t October 31^st Halloween?”

I understand this question. When I was growing up we didn’t celebrate Reformation Day, in fact, I never heard of it. Yet Reformation Day commemorates not only the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the castle church door in Wittenberg, but the recovery of Biblical truth that had been obscured for centuries by the Roman Catholic Church. Not the least of these truths was the very gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, at the heart of the Reformation was a recovery of the gospel.

What are we Protesting?

Unfortunately, the term Protestant is losing its meaning today. While there are many in the visible church who would fit nominally into the category of Protestantism, most have no idea what they are protesting. The main reason for this is because they are ignorant of church history as well as the theology driving the Reformation. The Mainline denominations have become theologically liberal and many Protestants have no earthly idea what Rome actually teaches or what they themselves believe, and therefore, they don’t understand the need for division. Yes, that’s right, the need for division. But aren’t we supposed to be one big, happy, ecumenical family? Aren’t we supposed to promote unity? Aren’t we all supposed to get along?

Let me ask a simple question: should Bible-believing Christians be united with Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses? No, of course not! Why? Because Mormons don’t believe that God was eternally God, but rather, they believe that “Heavenly Father” ascended to godhood. He was once a man who used to live on a planet orbiting a star named Kolob. Jehovah’s Witnesses overtly deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and have their own version of Scripture which edits texts concerning Christ’s divinity. This is not orthodox Christianity. They may use our terminology but they are not Christian, in fact, they are cults.

Well, what about the Roman Catholic Church? Reformed Christians, or what I like to call, true Protestants, argue that Rome is not a cult, but it adds many traditions to the Christian faith and distorts the purity of the gospel. Try as you may, but you won’t find the Scriptures teaching seven sacraments, or Purgatory, or indulgences, or the Treasury of Merit, or the propitiatory sacrifice of the mass, or petitioning Mary, or the necessity of the Pope. All of which, by the way, the Roman Church still affirms. Imagine a church that had become so corrupt that it actually burned, strangled, and drowned Christians for speaking out against the authority of the Pope, or for committing the crime of translating the Bible into a language that laypeople could understand. This was the case in the 16^th century. The church was corrupt, both morally and doctrinally; it had lost its way, and the Reformers were bold enough to call for renewal.

Old Time Religion

Despite the accusations of the Roman Catholic Church, the Reformers weren’t teaching new doctrine, they were merely recovering the old Biblical doctrines which had been obscured by the traditions and sacramental system of Rome. Let me give a graphic example by way of contrast. At the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic Church anathematized anyone who believed in justification by faith alone. They also repudiated the doctrine of imputation; the Biblical teaching that our sins were imputed to Christ on the cross and His righteousness is imputed to us by faith. Again, just to be clear, Rome stated that anyone who believes salvation is by faith alone should be cursed. And they have never recanted this ruling.

On the contrary, we would say that the doctrine of justification by faith alone is absolutely essential to the gospel; without it you don’t have a gospel. The only way sinners can be justified before a holy God is not by any merits of their own, but by the perfect righteousness of Christ alone. So the Roman Catholic Church has anathematized the gospel of Jesus! Their false gospel attempts to add to the perfect work of Christ. And as Paul told the Galatians, if righteousness comes through works, then Christ died for no purpose, (Gal. 2:21). We cannot have unity with a church that teaches a different gospel, (Gal. 1:6-8).

The Significance of the Solas

This is why the Reformers developed the five solas of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone), Solus Christus (Christ Alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone). The Reformers taught that Scripture alone is the only infallible rule of faith and practice; that we are saved by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, so that all glory goes to God alone! The Pope is not the final authority, the Bible is. Grace is not a substance infused at baptism that must be cooperated with; it is the merciful disposition of a loving God who effectually recuses sinners. Faith is not something we can make shipwreck of if we commit a mortal sin; faith is the gift of God whereby we are counted as righteous, forever. The righteousness of Christ cannot be added to by the merits of the saints, it is absolutely perfect. That is why He cried, “It is finished!” Jesus kept the whole law for us; He intercedes for us, therefore, He is able to save to the uttermost, (Heb. 7:25). How can God be fully glorified if we add anything, no matter how small, to His saving work? That little word alone makes all the difference. These truths insure that God receives all the glory.

The Latin phrase, Post Tenebras Lux was the hallmark of the Reformation. It meant: after darkness, light. So, like the sun rising in all its splendor, dispersing the darkness of Rome’s ecclesiastical gloom, the brilliance of God’s free grace in Christ illuminated the 16^th century with dazzling light. 500 years later, its glistening gospel beams still shine forth as a testament of God’s glorious saving power, and that, is something worth celebrating!