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To Be Reborn

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).

“Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise.” Martin Luther

When Martin Luther returned from his three month pilgrimage to Rome he became a professor of philosophy at the University in Wittenberg. In 1511, he began teaching philosophy. Observing Luther’s continuing struggle regarding salvation, his mentor, Staupitz, counseled the young professor to begin teaching the Bible. This would become the final key God would use to unlock and free the deadened soul of the German monk.

In 1513, Martin began teaching from the Psalms. Shortly thereafter, he began teaching from the Apostle Paul’s magnum opus: the Epistle of Paul to the Romans. How ironic that God would use Paul’s letter to the church at Rome to convert Martin Luther and to repudiate the abuses and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church.

Martin trembled when he came across Romans 1:17 and the phrase “the righteousness of God.” Pastor Erwin Lutzer explains, “The righteousness of God struck fear into his heart because he knew that it was because of God’s unbendable righteousness that sinners were cast away from His most holy presence.” It was then the Holy Spirit unlocked the meaning of the phrase.

When Martin came across the words “the just shall live by faith” the Holy Spirit brought to his understanding through regeneration what the apostle truly meant. Luther wrote, “Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise.”

Martin grasped that not only is the righteousness of God one of His attributes, but it is also a free gift from God to sinners. Luther came to the understanding that sinners are saved by the sheer grace and mercy of God through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. God declares sinners righteous through the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, as our sins were imputed to Christ while He suffered the wrath of God while on the cross. Luther was miraculously converted by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, on the basis of Scripture alone to the glory of God alone.

Luther concluded it this way: “Thou Lord Jesus, art my righteousness, but I am thy sin. Thou hast taken upon thyself what is mine and hast given to me what is thine. Thou hast taken upon thyself what thou wast not and hast given to me what I was not.”

This great exchange (2 Corinthians 5:21) is at the core of the gospel. May we praise God daily for this wonderful truth.

Soli deo Gloria!

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The Only Way

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).

Why is the good news, or the gospel, of Jesus Christ the only way a sinner such as Martin Luther, as well as you and me, can be reconciled to God? The answer is given in Romans 1:17.

The phrase “for in it” refers us back to the subject at hand: the gospel. The Apostle Paul says that it is in the gospel alone that the righteousness of God is revealed. Righteousness (δικαιοσύνη; dikaiosyne) means to put right with, to cause to be in a right relationship and to be declared righteous. This righteousness belongs to and originates from God alone. It is not earned by man, but graciously given by God through God-given faith (Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 1:29; Acts 13:48; 2 Peter 1:1-2).

As one pastor explains, “God is inherently righteous (Deut. 32:4; Pss. 11:7; 116:5; John 17:25; I John 2:1; Rev. 16:5) and man falls woefully short of the divine standard of moral perfection (Rom. 3:10-20; Job 9:2; Matt. 5:48). But the gospel reveals that through the instrument of faith – and faith alone – God will impute or credit His righteousness to ungodly sinners (Romans 3:21-24; 4:1-5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:8-9).

When the Apostle Paul quotes from Habakkuk 2:4 that the just, or those God declares righteous, will live by faith he intends to prove that justification by faith alone has always been God’s way of saving sinners. Abraham is a pattern of justification by faith alone (Romans 4:22-25; Galatians 3:1-7). Additionally, true saving faith will be demonstrated by the believer’s actions (Philippians 2:12-13; James 2:14-26).

This good news is always through faith and faith alone. As we shall soon see, the Protestant Reformation in general, and the work of Martin Luther in particular, was a reclaiming of this essential truth of the gospel message from centuries of religious tradition and error. However, before Martin Luther would preach and defend the gospel, God had to bring him to an understanding of the gospel for the purpose of saving Martin’s soul from sin’s penalty and power.

Have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord by faith and faith alone?

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Not Ashamed

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).

The Apostle Paul stated that he was not ashamed of the gospel. To be ashamed (ἐπαισχύνομαι; epaischynomai) means to personally and presently feel embarrassment or disgrace because of something. It may also mean awkwardness, humiliation and discomfort. Paul said he was not ashamed of the gospel (εὐαγγέλιον; euangelion) or the good news of salvation through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Why was this the case?

Paul understood that the gospel, and the gospel alone, was the power of God for salvation. The word power (δύναμις; duynamis), from which we derive our English word dynamite, means supernatural ability. This ability contained in the gospel belongs to and originates from God alone. It is not a manmade power or strength.

This power from God alone contained in the gospel results in salvation. The gospel is the good news that (1) God exists; (2) sin exists; (3) One Savior exists: Jesus Christ; and (4) salvation or deliverance exists from sin’s penalty, power and eventual presence.

This good news is for everyone who believes, or comes to God by faith. Believing (πιστεύω; pisteuo) is the God-given ability to trust in, commit to, depend upon and worship Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This salvation is available for both the Jew and the Gentile. But this salvation is only available by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

Many attempt, as I and Martin Luther did, to come to God through our own self-righteous efforts. However, the Prophet Isaiah said our righteousness is as a filthy rag before the holy God of heaven and earth (Isaiah 64:6). God also says that we are by nature objects of His wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3).

We must believe in the person of the gospel, Jesus Christ, who embodies the message and content of the gospel. God brought me to this understanding. He also brought Martin. What about you?

Have you trusted in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord? If not, I encourage you to turn from your sin and believe in Jesus Christ. Your life, much like my own and Martin’s, will never be the same. It will become a life dedicated to glorify God.

Soli deo Gloria!

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From Faith For Faith

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).

It is ironic that the portion of Scripture which God used to bring Martin Luther to saving faith, and to deliver him from the apostasy of the Roman Catholic Church, was Paul’s magnum opus epistle to the church at Rome. Romans 1:16-17 were the two verses which broke through the darkness of Luther’s attempts at salvation by works righteousness, unto a salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, based upon the Scriptures alone and ultimately to the glory of God alone.

Following his pilgrimage to Rome, Martin continued in his pursuit of becoming right with God based upon the monk’s most sincere efforts to attain that righteousness by his good works. The Apostle Paul knew well the arduous spiritual road upon which Luther traveled because Paul had traveled upon it himself. He says as much in Philippians 3:1-9.

The apostle trusted in all his works righteous accomplishments in Judaism as Luther pursued the same works righteousness system in Roman Catholicism. As God shown the light of the gospel on the Damascus Road for Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9), so too would the sovereign Savior accomplish the same gracious work for a monk in Wittenberg, Germany.

God’s method of saving sinners has not changed. The people, names, faces and circumstances may differ from person to person, but the gracious work of God in saving a soul from hell is through the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This heralding brings about the regenerating work by the Holy Spirit unto salvation within the soul of the sinner. It is this sovereign work of God which brings glory and praise to God from the life and lips of the sinner saved by the grace of God.

May we continue to hold this pearl of great price ever dear, while at the same time always willing to share its wealth with others.

Soli deo Gloria!

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“Who Knows Whether It Be So”?

“Who knows whether it be so.” Martin Luther

Johann von Staupiz was the vicar general of the Augustinian Order in Germany during this period of the 16th century. He received information about the intense monk known as Martin Luther and began to take an interest in the young man.

It was Staupiz who recognized Luther’s academic abilities and sent him to Wittenberg to study the Bible and theology. Luther earned his BA in 1509 whereupon he returned to Erfurt and began to teach.

In 1510, the second “crisis” occurred in Martin’s life. Staupiz decided to send Martin on a pilgrimage to Rome so the Augustinian Order and the monasteries in Erfurt could renew their credentials. The pilgrimage to Rome would also give young Martin an opportunity to visit the holy city, see its various religious relics and perhaps even visit the Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs), reportedly the very steps Christ ascended at Pilate’s judgment hall in Jerusalem. But Luther’s trip to Rome would become the single most disillusioning experience of his life.

The trip was roughly 800 miles. Travelers would walk by day and then stop and spend the night at monasteries along the way. For Luther, the round trip took close to three months to complete.

When Luther arrived in Rome, he was shocked to witness the immoral behavior of the priests. Masses were spoken with little thought or interest. Priests engaged in heterosexual and homosexual behavior. Martin viewed Rome as having become a harlot. However, it was Luther’s visit to the Scala Sancta where his disillusionment reached its height.

One church historian explains, “These twenty-eight marbled steps are believed to be the very steps that led up to the praetorian of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem – the very steps Jesus walked on the way to His trial. The Emperor Constantine apparently had them removed and relocated to Rome. In 1510, there would be a table set up at the base of the steps where priests collected coins and handed out indulgences. Pilgrims, after they had turned over a few coins, would climb the steps on their knees, praying the rosary as they shuffled up and down. Luther waited his turn and then joined the stream of penitent pilgrims. When Luther reached the top, no spiritual awakening greeted him. No waves of peace rolled gently over his soul. All he could say was, ‘Who knows whether it be so’.”

What sincere act(s) are you pursuing in order to make yourself right with God? What sacrifice are you willing to give in order to assure yourself that your sins are completely forgiven? The Bible says there is but one way to know that you are reconciled to God and forgiven of your sins; faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

If you haven’t already, trust Christ today to be your Savior and Lord and receive the forgiveness you desperately need.

Soli deo Gloria!

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The Monastic Life

The monastery provided Martin Luther with a disciplined life. In fact, Luther was a disciplined man of prayer throughout his life. However, Luther was such a student of the law, he understood that he could not perfectly fulfill the law of God. It troubled him to his soul. He was filled with guilt and driven to discover forgiveness. A forgiveness he would not find in the monastery.

Luther was preoccupied by guilt while he was in the monastery. He would spend long hours in the confessional. He was involved in self-flagellation. He afflicted his body with great pain in order to purge himself of his sinful guilt.

At this time in church history, the church was very corrupt. The clergy were horrible in their ungodliness. Therefore, to enter into a monastery gave a person an inside track to heaven. Luther was hoping he would gain salvation by entering the most rigorous of monasteries.

Luther was asked once if he loved God. Luther responded, “Love God? Sometimes I hate God.” For Martin, there was always the question of guilt. Luther understood the law of God. He knew his soul was exposed to damnation. Luther did not rationalize his guilt. He did not ignore his guilt. The law of God terrified Luther. God terrified Luther.

This terror Luther felt towards God was visibly witnessed by many, including Luther’s family.  This was strikingly evident when Martin celebrated his first mass as an ordained monk. In recognition of this momentous occasion in his son’s life, and perhaps as a way to further reconcile himself to his son, Hans brought his associates to the celebration of the mass.

However, when Martin was at the point of the transubstantiation of the elements, at the prayer of consecration, he froze. He couldn’t speak. Someone else said the prayer for Luther. Hans was embarrassed. When he later approached his son and began berating him, young Martin said to his dad, “Don’t you understand? I was holding the body and blood of Christ. I was utterly stupefied and terror-stricken.”

Do we have such a fear when we approach the One, True, and Holy God of the universe? Do we casually come into God’s presence without even a shred of awe and wonder for who He is and what He does? Let each of us examine our hearts and repent of such casualness. I encourage you to read Isaiah 6:1-7.

Soli deo Gloria!

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A Violent Thunderstorm

When encountering a violent thunderstorm in July 1505 as he was traveling, young Martin Luther was knocked to the ground by a nearby strike of a lightning bolt.  Fearing for his soul and believing that this was a sign from God, he cried out, “Help me, St. Anne, I will become a monk.”

Luther moved into the Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt. It was known as the most rigorous of the Augustinian monasteries. When entering the monastery, the monks asked Luther what he wanted. He said, “I seek God’s grace and your mercy.”

Luther’s father, Hans, was furious at his son for going into the monastery. He was disappointed that Martin would not become a lawyer thereby enjoying a salary which would help the family financially. However, for Martin the making of money was not nearly as important as was the salvation of his soul.

You must understand that then, and now, salvation according to the Catholic Church is not a declaration by God and appropriated by God-given faith in the person and completed work of Christ. Rather, salvation is a rigorous process of one’s own righteous works in which you can never be certain you have done enough to avert hell, avoid purgatory and enter heaven.

Still there was hope that while salvation was difficult, it was not impossible. The rigors of monastic life included renouncing self-will, living on a meager diet, rough clothing, vigils day and night, working during the day, and the mortification of the flesh, the reproach of poverty, the shame of begging and the distastefulness of a secluded existence.

Luther renounced his past, and entered into the monastic life. He was given a cell. He then began to pursue his peace with God.

We often hear the expression that a person, who has recently died, has made their peace with God. However, the Bible says that we do not make our peace with God, but rather God makes His peace with us, through the substitutionary atonement accomplished by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1-5).

In who or what are you trusting in for the salvation of your immortal soul? The only hope is Jesus Christ. Repent of your sins right now and trust Jesus to be your Lord and Savior (John 1:12-13).

Soli deo Gloria!

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The Dream of Hans

Upon earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University at Erfurt, young Martin Luther was set to begin studies for his doctorate to eventually become a lawyer. His father Hans wanted his son to not only be a lawyer, but also to become a successful lawyer. This would mean that Martin would be able to take care of his parents when they were old.

Dr. R.C. Sproul explains that Luther seemed to encounter a crisis every five years. The first of these “crises” happened in 1505 when an event occurred in which Luther’s life would be irrevocably changed.

Following a visit with his family in Mansfield, Luther was returning to Erfurt. He encountered a violent thunderstorm. Lightning struck so close to him that he feared for his very life. At that moment, he cried out to St. Anne, the patron saint of miners and exclaimed, “Help me, St. Anne, and I will become a monk!”

St. Anne was supposedly the mother of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Superstition during Martin’s day taught that St. Anne would bring protection and prosperity to those who worked in the mines. This was Martin’s theological background.

As Pastor Erwin Lutzer explains, “And so it was—partly to fulfill this vow and, most assuredly, because of his own inner turmoil—that Luther went against his father’s wishes, left the university in Erfurt, and entered the Augustinian monastery in the same city.”

When physically entering the monastery, Martin was asked what he sought. He responded, “God’s grace and your mercy.” Martin would now begin a rigorous and disciplined regimen of living which he hoped would satisfy the longing in his soul. More than anything, Luther sought relief from the guilt he felt because of his sins.

What about you? What rigorous regimen have you pursued to satisfy the longing in your soul? Is it good works, community involvement and financial generosity? Or are you going with whatever works to silence the nagging conviction that you are not right with God.

Repent of your sin and receive Jesus Christ and his righteousness as your own. This is the only way to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) and to satisfy your soul’s longing for peace with God.

Have a blessed day. Soli deo Gloria!

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After Darkness, Light!

One of the pictures I have as a desktop background on my laptop computer is the International Monument to the Reformation located in Geneva, Switzerland. It is usually referred to as the Reformation Wall. The motto of the 16th century Protestant Reformation is Post tenbras lux which means “After darkness, light!”

A reformer, or a reformation, is defined as an improvement, a renovation or a reorganization of something which currently exits. A reformer does not seek to destroy the object of his reform. Rather he seeks to either overhaul or restore order where disorder or error has occurred. The reformers themselves considered their work to be a reformation and not a revolution to the church.

Martin Luther, and those who preceded him as well as those who followed him, were seeking to reform and not destroy the church. They saw abuses by the church which needed to be corrected. Not the least of these issues was the question of the ultimate source of authority within the church: the pope or the Scriptures. God would choose Martin Luther to be the preeminent individual to bring these issues to a head.

Martin was born on November 10, 1483 in the German town of Eisleben to Hans and Margarette Luther. He was named Martin because he was born on St. Martin’s Day. Luther lived in an exciting time.  He was 9 years old in 1492 when Columbus discovered America. His parents were German peasants. Luther’s father eventually became a minor in Mansfield and ultimately owned six foundries.

Luther’s childhood was marked by prayer, strict morality, and loyalty to the church and its traditions. It became quickly evident during his childhood that Luther possessed a melancholy personality. He was consumed and driven not only with fits of depression and insecurity, but also with an overwhelming sense of guilt before God because of his sins.

From 1492-1498 he attended school at Mansfield, Magdeburg and Eisenach, where Martin learned Latin. From 1501-1505 he attended the University of Erfurt where he earned his BA in 1502 and his MA in 1505. He was preparing for his doctorate in law. One biographer writes that “young Martin earned both his baccalaureate and master’s degrees in the shortest time allowed by university statutes. He proved so adept at public debates that he earned the nickname The Philosopher.”

Luther was set to be become a lawyer.  His father Hans wanted his son to not only be a lawyer, but also to become a successful lawyer. This would mean that Martin would be able to take care of his parents when they were old.

Dr. R.C. Sproul explains that Luther seemed to encounter a crisis every five years. The first of these “crises” occurred in 1505. It was an event in which Luther’s life would be irrevocably changed.

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The 5 Solas

The Protestant Reformation’s enduring legacy, and that of Reformer Martin Luther, centers upon the doctrines of the “solas.” The Reformers believed and taught these five truths and they remain indispensable to the health of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the authentic growth of the church.

Why? It is because these five tenants did not originate with the Reformers of the Reformation. On the contrary, the Reformers rediscovered truth God had given in Scripture and which had long been buried by the church. Therefore, the “solas” are to be continually studied, embraced, taught, and defended as God’s eternal truth in a fallen, temporal, and worldly culture.

A brief description of each “sola” is appropriate.  In April 1996, the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals held its first major meeting of evangelical scholars. The Cambridge Declaration, first presented at this meeting, is a call to the evangelical church to turn away from the worldly methods it has come to embrace and to recover the Biblical doctrines of the Reformation. The Cambridge Declaration explains the importance of regaining adherence to the five “solas” of the Reformation. The fine “solas” are as follows:

  • Thesis One: Sola Scriptura
    We reaffirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured.We deny that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian’s conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.

 

  • Thesis Two: Solus Christus
    We reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father.We deny that the gospel is preached if Christ’s substitutionary work is not declared and faith in Christ and his work is not solicited.

 

  • Thesis Three: Sola Gratia
    We reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from God’s wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life.We deny that salvation is in any sense a human work. Human methods, techniques, or strategies by themselves cannot accomplish this transformation. Faith is not produced by our unregenerate human nature.

 

  • Thesis Four: Sola Fide
    We reaffirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God’s perfect justice.We deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in us, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ’s righteousness in us, or that an institution claiming to be a church that denies or condemns sola fide can be recognized as a legitimate church.

 

  • Thesis Five: Soli Deo Gloria
    We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God’s glory and that we must glorify him always. We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God and for his glory alone.We deny that we can properly glorify God if our worship is confused with entertainment, if we neglect either Law or Gospel in our preaching, or if self-improvement, self-esteem or self-fulfillment is allowed to become alternatives to the Gospel.

 

As any Christian should realize, the 16th century Protestant Reformation was anything but a tempest in a teapot. It was a cataclysmic event which shook the then known world, and continues to do so today. May we continue to hold fast to the truths of Scripture, especially the Five Solas.

Be strong and courageous!

Soli deo Gloria!