Coram Deo

Happy Reformation Day!

On this day in 1517, God used Martin Luther to set in motion a momentous event.  On this day in 1517, Martin Luther took his 95 theses, 95 points of scripture and church custom that he sought to debate,  to his superiors in the Catholic church.  He had come to understand that false doctrines and destructive practices, like the sale of indulgences, had taken hold of the church. 

His 2 main points were these: 

Justification by faith

             and

The priesthood of all believers

In other words, we are saved by grace through faith.  There is nothing we can do to earn our way into the kingdom of God.  Luther called that "the hinge".  That was really the root of all else.  And we all have a personal relationship with God.  He has provided the intermediary, it is Christ.  It is through the Son that we come to the Father.  We are the church and He hears our prayers.

What awesome freedom and joy Luther must have experienced when these truths were revealed to him.  What blessed relief from fear and worry.  In fact, he said that while reading Romans one he was struck by verse 17: "...as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’" It was as if "…the door of heaven had been thrown open wide."

God rose up other men to fight alongside Luther.  Men like John Knox, John Calvin, John Wycliff and many others so that the eternal truths brought to light by Luther spread throughout the world. 

Today is a day worthy of celebration and recognition by the Protestant church.  It is a day to give thanks that we are secure in Christ.  It is a day for reminding our children of the goodness of God, of His faithfulness, and of the price others have paid in His name.  We must remember what God has done for us, we must teach our children, we must point them to the heroes of the faith to strengthen and remind them.  It is also a day to remember that traditions, while not bad, are man's.  We need to always examine ours, honoring God in all that we do.

So, we will take this day to honor the sacrifice and courage of the men that God used.  To teach our children the truths that they reminded us of.  And to train them to carry the banner of the Reformation.

Solus Christus (By Christ Alone)

Sola Scriptura (By Scripture Alone)

Sola Gratia (By Grace Alone)

Sola Fide (By Faith Alone)

Coram Deo (Before the Face of God)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God be the Glory)

Communio Sanctorum (The Priesthood of Every Believer)

Post Tenebras Lux (After Darkness Light)

We will celebrate with stories of the Reformation.  We will sing "A Mighty Fortress is Our God", we will eat bratwurst, saurkraut, applesauce, and fried cabbage.  We will drink wassail and use the red tablecloth to remind us of the blood of Christ shed to secure our salvation.  It's a good day!