Bible-Based Reformation Movement

Bible-based Reformation Movement

Every October we remember the act of Dr. Martin Luther that we recognize in our calendars as Reformation Day. On October 31, 1517 Luther nailed it! He posted an invitation to discuss his 95 Theses – Biblical assessment of the Indulgences. The practice of Indulgences is not as widespread anymore, therefore I don't have a serious reason to address it. What is more important is to appreciate his approach, assessing everything through the Biblical lens.

Luther was a good theologian. He knew the Scriptures (including the languages), was well-versed in the Ancient philosophers, Church history, and he had a great pastoral heart. Of all these sources of knowledge, Luther concluded that the Bible is the most solid and secure foundation.

We might ask, why? Philosophers contradict each other, and different schools have different worldviews. St. Paul had to address it on Mars' Hill (Acts 17: 16-34). History—even within the church—is full of examples of curious decisions. And the heart, left to itself, is open to extravagant ideas.

There are people who believe that God talks to them outside of the Word and the Sacraments: “God told me to this,” or “God told me to do that.” Luther called such people “enthusiasts”, a dangerous movement for any church body. That's why when people say “God told me,” the next thing I need to hear is a quote with a reference: What Book of the Bible? What chapter? What verse? Otherwise, it's just an opinion.

Like a swimmer jumps from a diving platform to gain a good start, Luther found his foundation in the comforting and encouraging words of the Bible. He had a deep knowledge of Hebrew and Greek, lectured on different Scriptural Books, and provided his own translations of Biblical passages. This work eventually resulted in a translation of the whole Bible into German.

Be it the mass, Church traditions, relics, or new spiritual movements, every assessment he made was grounded in the Bible. He did not simply select random proof texts taken out of context. Instead, he searched diligently for the passages that would deliver the gracious and instructive application of God’s love in our Lord Jesus Christ to suit each particular situation.

Luther did not want to abolish something just for the sake of novelty. If a practice did not contradict the Bible, it should be retained. That is why our confessions state “we retain the mass” (Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV). On the other hand, Luther was firmly for rejected all weird and unbiblical practices.

A famous quote attributed to Dr. Luther says: “If we collected all the splinters said to come from the Cross of Christ, we could build new Noah's Ark.” Luther’s conscience was framed by the words of the Holy Scriptures.

The issues have changed, but this method stands true even today. We may no longer deal with Indulgences, but the human heart still indulges itself with challenges only Christ can deliver it from.

So, to go into the future, we need to return to Scripture and look for the Biblical Christ revealed there: that Jesus who was predicted in the Law of Moses and the Prophets; that Jesus for whom the poets of the Old Testament sang their psalms; that Jesus of the Epistles of Paul, and Peter, and James, John, and Jude; that Jesus we find in the four Gospels.

Only by putting together what all 66 books of the Bible say about God’s gracious act of redemption, are we able to appreciate His exhibition of love in Christ Jesus. And we are called not only appreciate that love, but to apply His grace in our lives. We should look at the cultural phenomena of out days through the lens of the sacred pages of the Bible, just as Dr. Martin Luther did.