500 Years Ago…
Last Tuesday, October 31, marked the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Specifically, it marked the day in which the Augustinian monk, Martin Luther, posted his 95 Theses against the selling of indulgences to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. This posting by Luther launched reform within Christendom, which bore fruit in areas of theology, biblical studies, and practical living.
Reform was especially experienced within the theological and biblical understanding of the doctrine of justification by faith alone as it was assessed and adjusted by focusing on the sufficiency of justification by faith alone rather than simply the necessity of justification by faith alone. Reform was also particularly experienced through the establishing of what came to be called the Five Solas: Sola Gratia (grace alone), Sola Fide (faith alone), Solus Christus (Christ alone), Sola Scriptura (scripture alone), Soli Deo Gloria (to the glory of God alone).
Reformed to Read the Bible
And yet, what might be the greatest piece of reform to come out of the Reformation was the call for God’s people to read what God had said via the Scriptures for themselves. In the world we live in today with the number of English translations of the Bible that we have at our fingertips it is nearly impossible to fully understand what this type of reform meant for those who wanted to know where they stood in relation to a holy God.
What a gift verses like Romans 8:1, 2 Corinthians 5:21, and Galatians 2:20 are to those who can read and know what is announced to be the truth!
Unfortunately, during the time before the Reformation, there existed an established understanding that the Scriptures were not to be read by just anyone; only the most worthy individual had what it took to read and interpret the words of God contained within the Bible. The Bible was a closed book to the vast majority of people. Sure, they heard the words of God read to them but they did not have the experience of meeting with the living God who inspired the words of the Bible through reading his words for themselves. People were, in effect, cut off from the God they were trusting in. Unfortunately, even though we in the English-speaking world have nearly an unlimited access to the Scriptures, one could easily say that a great number of Christian’s still consider the Bible to be a closed book.
Why Not Read What God has Given?
The unbelieving New Testament scholar, Dr. Bart D. Ehrman, writes on his blog about the way in which he used to start his class of about 300 students on the New Testament. He would begin by asking the students a series of questions:
1. How many of you would agree with the position that the Bible is the inspired word of God? Almost every student raised a hand.
2. How many of you have read the Harry Potter series? Almost every student raised a hand.
3. How many of you have read the entire Bible? Scattered hands were raised.
The point made by Dr. Ehrman is undeniable and convicting because of how true and sweeping it is. Why don’t Christians who believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God read it? (https://ehrmanblog.org/can-my-students-believe-in-the-inerrancy-of-the-bible/)
Take Up and Read
Martin Luther and a number of other reformers gave their lives so that the Bible could be read by the everyman, so that everyone could experience an actual encounter with their God. If we really believe that this God we worship inspired a collection of writings for his people why wouldn’t we want to live out what the reformers gave their lives for? Why wouldn’t we want to hear from God everyday of our lives? Why wouldn’t we want to be conformed to God’s likeness—the likeness of the God from and through whom we were formed?
It is my prayer for you as you read this that you would take up and read the gift that God has given and, as a result, honor those who changed the world with the Protestant Reformation and come to grow in your knowledge of and love for the God who made you.
Grace and peace to you as you hear God’s voice through God’s word.