A Continuing Reformation
This week in history: On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther posted the famed “95 Theses” on the Wittenberg church door. Increasingly concerned about some important issues of faith and salvation, he wanted to stir up discussion. He chose that day to post his statement because it was All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints’ Day when many would be visiting the church to see relics of the saints.
He did not know that his simple action would be the catalyst that would start a movement called the Protestant Reformation. Today, October 31 is known as Reformation Day and it is a holiday in Germany and celebrated by many Protestants globally.
The reformation brought out two important truths: Salvation as a gift of God, not by works. This message became a comfort to millions of people who previously felt that their salvation depended on their connection to the official church. The next doctrine was about who gets to decide truth by emphasizing the Bible as the standard over church creeds and councils. Other great truths re-discovered since Luther’s time:
The anabaptists (16th century) proclaimed adult or “believer’s baptism,” and church as a voluntary community, separate from the state.
John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of the Methodists, brought out the principle of holy living. William Carey (1761-1834), the father for modern missions, was used by God to remind the church of our mission to the world.
William Miller (1782 – 1849), a Baptist lay preacher, discovered the Bible teaching of the second coming of Christ, and preached this message by voice and pen to vast numbers in the northeast in the 1830s and 40s.
George Storrs (1796 – 1879) proclaimed a message of God’s love, sharing from the Bible that
God does not torture people in hell forever but metes out fair rewards and punishments.
The Seventh-day Baptists (est. 1650) were God’s first instrument to ring out the message of the Sabbath. Today many denominations celebrate a weekly day of rest, including the Seventh-day Adventists.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 – 1968) became the well known leader of the civil rights movement, pointing out the equality of the races, and God as the creator of the whole human family.
There may be more truths to discover that have been buried under the rubbish of human tradition.. The reformation continues…
Barry Kimbrough
Pastor,
Gold Beach, Brookings and Cave Junction
