Happy Reformation Day

Historians like dates.  And one of the dates that historians like best is October 31, 1517.  On that day one monk with mallet in hand nailed a document to the church door in Wittenberg.  It contained a list of Ninety-Five Theses for a debate.  The immediate concern was an indulgence sale to finance St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and the Sistine Chapel—Michelangelo didn’t come cheap.  Martin Luther, the mallet-wielding monk, could keep silent no longer.  He got much more than a debate, however.  He and his list of Ninety-Five Theses triggered a Reformation that would sweep across the German lands, across Europe, and eventually across the entire world.  The world would never be the same.  Luther’s act gave birth to the Protestant church, now nearly 600 million members strong.  Luther’s act also brought the world out of medieval times and into the modern age.  Little wonder historians like the date October 31, 1517. 

The study of church history is vital.  It provides us with plenty of examples—good, bad, and even ugly—of Christians from all walks of life and from a variety of contexts who labored to bring their faith to bear upon the world in which they lived.  Church history is like one grand classroom focused on living out Christ’s final command to his church—to be disciples in the world.  When we remember the lessons, we tend to do well.  When we forget or ignore them, we tend to stumble.                                                   –Stephen J. Nichols

            During the time of the Reformation, God raised up able men such as Huss, Savernorola, Calvin, Zwingli, Beza, Bucer, Vermigli, Bullinger, Farel, Knox and others to radically develop a distinctly biblical worldview.  If for no other reason than the density and rapidity of change, sixteenth-century Europe experienced a transformation in worldview that was more nearly a revolution in the conventional sense of the term than perhaps any other period comparable period in history.                          –Scott Amos

           

The heart of Reformation doctrine was the five Solas:

·      Sola Scriptura, meaning “Scripture alone”: The Bible is the sole and final authority in all matters of life and godliness.

·      Sola Gratia, meaning “grace alone”: Salvation is by God’s grace alone.

·      Sola Fide, meaning “faith alone”: Salvation is through faith alone.

·      Sola Christus, meaning “Christ alone”: Salvation is found in the finished work of Jesus Christ alone.

·      Soli Deo Gloria, meaning “the glory of God alone”: All of life can be lived for the glory of God; everything we do can and should be done for God’s glory.

I believe that our theology determines our practice.  What we believe determines what we think, say, and do.  If we as a church don’t get it right on the doctrines of the Bible, Christ, and salvation, then our practice will be headed in the wrong direction.  Although the reformers were not perfect, God used them in great ways.  We would do well to remember them and benefit from their contributions.  The Reformers didn’t set out to invent something new.  They simply sought to rediscover what had been lost.  In many ways, we find ourselves in a similar predicament. 

The Reformers often used a phrase that is still relevant for us today, “Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda,” meaning “the church reformed, always reforming.”  On this side of eternity we will always be reforming in order to more clearly and accurately articulate biblical doctrine and exercise it rightly for the glory of God.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Interested in further Study?  There are so many good books on church history that it would be hard to choose a few.  Biographies are always my favorite.  Here are two books that I have read recently:

“Revolutions in Worldview”, ed. W. Andrew Hoffecker (Phillipsburg, New Jersey:  P&R Publishing, 2007)

“The Reformation: How a Monk with a Mallet Changed the World”, Stephen J. Nichols (Wheaton, Illinois:  Crossway, 2007)

The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love

I have begun to read a book by Jonathan Leeman called, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love.  In the opening section, he makes some very interesting observations in his analysis of our modern view of love and authority.  He uses this angle to introduce the doctrines of Church Membership and Church Discipline.  The following are some thoughts from that first section that I found interesting.  I apologize for any rambling as some of these thoughts are still under construction.  For a better treatment, I recommend buying the book.

It’s no wonder that most churches have left orthodoxy for an “all we need is love” mentality.  But, is it really loving to sacrifice truth on the altar of pragmatism?  This seems more of a love for self than God.  Pastors don’t want to sound authoritative, judgmental, or dogmatic because our culture frowns at that.  We are told Christians should be people who overlook sin and accept people just as they are in the name of love.  I don’t know where they are getting their idea of love but it’s not from the Bible. 

To tell someone that they are ok with God when they are not, is most unloving.  Many churches today hold the cure in one hand but choose to treat the sinners symptoms instead.  Many pastors feel the demand and supply what the people want usually in the form of moralisms and therapies.  The consumerist mentality of our culture has crept into the church.  People want church their way and if you don’t give it to them they will leave just as quickly as they came for the next best thing.  Many pastors know the greatest need but feel the pressure and minister to felt needs in order to fill pews and to avoid rejection.  At the heart of the matter, is an individualistic love of self on the part of the pastor and the people.

The unholy union of individualism and consumerism have conceived anti-authority-ism.  The God of the Bible, His Word, and the message of His church are offensive to the modern mind. 

The campaign that Western culture has been waging for several centuries for the individual has been a campaign waged against all forms of authority.  From elementary school through graduate school, Western educators have taught us to question authority: the authority of the church because of what it did to Galileo; the authority of the king because of his usurpations; the authority of the majority because of its tyrannies; the authority of males because of their exercise of brute strength and acts of oppression; the authority of the Bible because of its alleged contradictions; the authority of science because of its paradigm shifts; the authority of philosophy because of its language games; the authority of language because it has been deconstructed; the authority of parents because they are not cool; the authority of the market because of extravagant inequalities; the authority of the police because of their fire hoses and night sticks; the authority of religious leaders because they’ll make you drink the Kool-Aid; the authority of the media because of its biases; the authority of superpowers because of their imperialism.   -Jonathan Leeman

We like authority as long as it conforms to our self-conception of right and wrong.  We like community as long as we are allowed to openly express our individuality.  We like the church as long as it tells us that we’re all right.

However offensive it may be to our culture, our God and His Word are authoritative.  God is the source of truth and his Word is true.  He is Lord and King.  He sovereignly rules over all things and will judge everyone according to His righteous standards.  He will not sweep sin under the rug.  Christians are those whom by his grace have been saved from his wrath through faith in Jesus Christ.  Instead of sweeping sin under the rug, God sent his son to die on the cross for all those who repent and believe.  The life and death of Jesus Christ put truth and love on display for the world to see. 

Any church that exchanges truth for love has fallen into error.  The redeemed of the Lord are called to hold fast to the truth and to speak it in love.  The church should be the pillar and ground of the truth.  Its authority does not lie within corporate or individual autonomy but on God and His Word.  True biblical love has an outward focus.  We are commanded to love God and one another through the power of the Holy Spirit.  The expression of Christian love is always guided by truth.

A proper view of God and man, as they are presented in the Bible, puts things into a right perspective.  The church is a group of individuals created by God, under His authority, in community, to love and serve one another for His glory.  The pastors as well as the people of the church are sinners prone to error but striving to obey God’s Word.  Obedience encompasses the proclamation of truth as well as loving one another.  We must avoid the great temptation to elevate love or authority above one another for both are to be equally exercised in light of biblical truth. 

The Good Shepherd

Psalm 23

        The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way (Is 53:6).  We lack provision, protection and eternal hope.  But God, not wishing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:8), sent his only Son and laid on him the iniquity of us all (Is 53:6).  The Good Shepherd laid down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).  Those whom the Good Shepherd calls hear his voice and follow him (John 10:3-4) and find provision, protection, and eternal hope in the merciful, loving, and kind arms of their Savior. The Lord (Yahweh) is the Good Shepherd.  He is no nameless, faceless, impersonal deity, but one who knows his sheep personally and his sheep know him personally (John 10:14).  As sheep of the flock of God we enjoy many benefits. 

The Good Shepherd provides for the needs of his sheep.  The sheep of the flock of the Good Shepherd “shall not want.”  They feed from the greenest pastures and drink from the purest waters.  They are not drawn to other pastures or streams nor do they worry about where they will find their next meal.  They find rest from worrying about any physical or spiritual needs.  Their faith is in the Good Shepherd who has always provided for them out of his goodness and mercy.  We must trust Jesus, who has promised to provide for all of your needs according to his riches and glory (Phil 4:19) and who will not withhold any good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). 

           The Good Shepherd protects his sheep.  On the way to green pastures, the Good Shepherd may have to lead his sheep through dark valleys but he is still leading and his rod and staff are there for protection.  Although the sheep may experience fear in face of imminent danger, they must stay close to the shepherd.  The Good Shepherd is able to sympathize with our weaknesses as one who was acquainted with sorrows and grief.  We must draw near to him that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Though we may walk through valleys of darkness in this present evil age, neither tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor danger, nor the sword, nor death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depths, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the loving kindness of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 8:31-39).

He promises an eternal dwelling place for his sheep.  David, the author of this Psalm, concludes by affirming God’s goodness and mercy as the source of future blessing.  David is confident that the extraordinarily lavish banquet of blessing that he has experienced will continue throughout his life and into eternity.  In Psalm 27 David says, “one thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”  David’s desire was first and foremost for the Lord.  The joy in his heart overflowed in doxology.  He yearned for the day when his faith would be sight.  In Christ alone, our hope is found.

            All those who have responded in faith to the call of the Good Shepherd enjoy his provision, protection, and eternal hope.  Our Shepherd in his very nature is gracious, merciful, and good.  He provides for all of our physical and spiritual needs according to his riches and glory.  He is the all-powerful God of heaven and earth who leads us and protects us as we pilgrim through this fallen world.  He provides eternal hope through the perfect life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We must always keep our eyes on the Shepherd, our ears open to hear his voice, and our feet ready to follow him.