" . . . justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:24)
To someone not familiar with 16th-century history, it might seem a bit odd that Lutherans make such a big deal out of the word "reformation". A simple dictionary definition states that reformation is "the action or process of reforming an institution or practice". But THE Reformation is usually considered to have begun on October 31st, 1517, when Martin Luther posted 95 theses on the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany.
The reason why Luther chose this location for issuing his statements may strike people as somewhat strange today, but the church door was then the bulletin board or public forum for discussion of all matters, civil and religious. Luther was following what we would still call "standard operating procedure" and never intended to tear the church apart but to provide constructive criticism and thereby reform it.
Others had attacked the church for its abuses of wealth and its corrupt heirarchy already in the 14th century but the movements they began were largely squelched. Luther highlighted another concern. That was the practice of indulgences, the sale of certificates by the church which supposedly purchased God's forgiveness. In his "Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences" (the official title of his 95 Theses) Luther the ordained priest and university lecturer looked to what the Bible has to say about repentance and forgiveness. God's forgiveness is not something one can buy, as Romans 3:21-24 clearly states:
"But now a righteousness form God, apart from law, has been made known,
to which the law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes
through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his
grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
While the introduction to Luther's 95 Theses contained an invitation to debate the matter either orally or in writing, no one directly responded to his invitation. The contents of his theses were, however, soon widely distributed in print and by word of mouth. In effect a vigorous debate did indeed take place in the years to follow as history bears out and of which we are still the beneficiaries.
We are blessed today not because we can buy a piece of paper which says God doesn't count some or even all of our sins against us, but because of God's declaring us righteous in his sight on account of what Christ has accomplished by his perfect obedience of God's law and his blood payment for our sins. That is the truth of Scripture which Luther meant to restore: we are pronounced "not guilty" but "righteous", and that new status before God is not due to any condition of human payment but is rather accepted by faith alone. Even a Bahamian folk song ("All My Trials") containing a dying mother's last words to her young child says as much:
If religion were a thing that money could buy
The rich would live and the poor would die.
Luther went on to write much more, to debate, to preach, and to teach. He was a capable linguist who translated the Bible into the language of his country. He is remembered by historians as one who brought Biblical truths back into the possession of the people by means of hymns and songs which still are our treasures today. But what we value most highly is the clear view of God's justification of sinners which he restored. That was a Reformation which was sorely needed and which is still very much appreciated.
