16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16–17 ESV)
Many Christians observe the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Thesis on the church door of Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517. 2024 marks the 507th anniversary of the event which sparked the Protestant Reformation.
We love our heroes. We follow our heroes. We are also devastated when our heroes show themselves to be all too human, just like us. We want them as perfect as the Lord Jesus Christ; but they never can be.
Martin Luther is one of my heroes. I grew up attending a Lutheran Church where I not only learned about Jesus, but also about Luther. Luther began to take on almost super human qualities in my mind. However, he was as flawed a man as me. Therefore, how are we to objectively evaluate the 16th century Protestant Reformation and Luther’s role in it?
Pastor Burk Parsons writes, “Ultimately, the Word of God was the hero of the Reformation, not Luther. The power was not in Martin Luther or John Calvin or any of the Reformers—the power was the gospel unto salvation for everyone who believes. The fuel and the fire of the Reformation was the Holy Spirit who brought revival and reformation not only in doctrine, but in worship, in the church, in the home, and in the hearts of all those He brought to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ—all for the glory of God to the end that the nations might know, love, and proclaim the name of our triune God Coram Deo, before His face forever.”
In light of this significant event in church history, I would encourage you to meditate upon the lyrics of the following hymn by Dr. R. C. Sproul. It is entitled Glory to the Holy One and is based upon Isaiah 6:1-7.
Seated on the heav’nly throne
Above all mortal view
The King supreme in glory sat
Bathed in resplendent hue.
Refrain
“Holy, Holy, Holy”
Cried the seraph throng
Glory to the Holy One
Join in heaven’s song.
All around the mercy seat
The heav’nly creatures sang
Glory to our God on high
Their poignant anthem rang.
Shielded eyes and covered feet
The angels hovered high
Glory shook the portal walls
And smoke rose to the sky.
“Angel come now, purge my lips
Make pure my soul anew
Now I’ll rise and stand again
In grace to go for you.”
May all of us in grace, go and serve the Lord. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 