Happy Reformation Day!
This year’s holiday is
particularly special because it marks the 500th year since Martin
Luther supposedly nailed his Ninety-five
Theses on the door of the All Saints’ Church in Wittenburg. Some say that the act of nailing them on the
door is just a legend. Regardless of
whether this account is literal or not,
the point is, Luther had made known on this date the strong opposition he had for
the Roman Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences and challenged them for debate. Thus – though there were various figures
prior to Luther that attempted to challenge and reform the Catholic Church,
like Jan Hus and John Wycliffe – the event has become widely considered as the
start of the Reformation movement.
What is the Reformation? In most History classes, it is simply touched
upon in a very broad manner, that it was the onset of Protestantism, when many European
churches and churchgoers denied the authority of the pope and Rome, seceding
themselves from the Roman Catholic Church.
Not only is this a criminally incomplete story, it doesn’t even scratch
the surface. The Reformation is far
richer and deeper than this. Aside from
its impact on religion and theology, it also had a profound effect on politics,
philosophy, ethics, culture, arts, industry, economics, and other aspects. But, at its most essential, the Reformation
was basically the recovery of biblical Christianity from a corrupted Church,
and the rediscovery of the pure Gospel that had been lost underneath the clutter
of dogma and tradition that had piled on top of it due to centuries of its accumulated
misrepresentation, mistranslation, and misinterpretation.
Indeed, the Reformation is more
complex and interesting than how it is commonly deemed. An entire book may not be even enough to provide
an exhaustive, comprehensive account and analysis of it. Much less an article like this (which is this
blog’s way of celebrating it).
Fortunately, the Reformers loved slogans. Thus, the core teachings of the Reformation
can be presented in a nutshell through them, allowing someone to have a basic gist
of it.
SOLA SCRIPTURA
The first one is sola scriptura, which is Latin for “Scripture
alone.” It means that, for the
Reformers, the only infallible, definitive, supreme authority on faith and
practice is the Bible – the Word of God.
All teachings, preachings, traditions, and doctrines must adhere to it
and be governed by it. Therefore, studying
the Scriptures is not limited to the clergy and theologians. The laity must do so as well. Every professing Christian has the right and
duty to read, meditate, understand, and obey the Scriptures. They must not allow others, even their
teachers and leaders, to do their thinking for them, defining what doctrines to
believe in. Rather, they must personally
seek for themselves the validity of the things being taught to them if they are
truly in accordance to God’s Word.
Meanwhile, the teachers and preachers must point towards the Scriptures
as they instruct and guide their congregation.
So with the sola scriptura as their guiding principle, the Reformers were able
to derive these following Scripture-based truths…
SOLA GRATIA
Sola gratia is Latin for “grace alone.” By that, it means that salvation is by God’s
grace alone. Grace means an unmerited
gift; thus, salvation is given by God to someone who doesn’t deserve it or didn’t
do anything to warrant it. Salvation is never ever dependent on any human works
or contribution or action, in any form or at any time. There is zero human factor in bringing it
about. It is 100% the prerogative and
initiative of God.
This is probably the most essential
teaching of the Reformation, as it is basically what the term “Reformed
Theology” is all about.
SOLA FIDE
Sola fide is Latin for “faith alone.” It means justification is by faith
alone. Sola fide goes hand in hand with sola gratia. Once again,
what is asserted is that good works is never a prerequisite for salvation. For one to be saved, there must be justification, which is to be
made righteous in the sight of God. And,
per Scripture, justification is received through faith, not works.
Again, sola fide and sola gratia
go hand in hand. One is saved by grace alone through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8).
SOLUS CHRISTUS
Solus Christus is Latin for “Christ alone.” It means that Christ is the only qualified mediator
between God and man, and that his sacrificial atonement on the cross is sufficient
to pay for past, present, and future sins.
Thus, salvation is found in no one else but Christ.
This means that the “faith” mentioned
in sola fide must be faith in Christ –
faith that he is the Savior, faith that he is the only way to be saved, and
faith that salvation is only secured through his atoning work.
SOLI DEO GLORIA
Soli Deo gloria means “God’s glory alone.” Yes.
Since salvation is by God’s grace alone (sola gratia), then all glory for it is His alone. The Reformation brought about a renewed
understanding and appreciation of how great and big God is, along with the
realization of the utmost glories that exclusively belong to Him, especially
with regards to salvation. Hence, Biblical
truths regarding this – like God’s sovereignty, election, and predestination – were
eagerly relearned and happily taught by the Reformers.
CORAM DEO
Sola scriptura, sola gratia,
sola fide, solus Christus, and soli Deo gloria
are known as the “five solas” or “five solae.” These are the foundational set of Biblical
principles that the Reformers adhered to with regards to soteriology or the doctrine of Man’s salvation. However, out of these five, there are other
slogans. The most popular of non-solae slogans is probably coram Deo.
Coram Deo means “in the presence of God.” It basically describes the Christian life. In the presence of God. This means that a Christian must have the
awareness and appreciation that God sees his or her thoughts and actions – for
not only is God omnipresent, but more importantly, because He is living in him
or her. And thus, this belief must be
apparent in his or her life. In other
words, living coram Deo is having utter
submission to the authority of God (through the Scriptures – sola scriptura) and pursuing things that
would glorify Him.
This was the life philosophy that
the Reformers lived with and advocated.
POST TENEBRUS LUX
Post tenebrus lux is another Reformation slogan. It means “after darkness, light.” The pre-Reformation status of Christianity
was indeed quite dark. In fact, that
span of history has been appropriately named the “Dark Ages.” False teachings, legalism, superstitions, ignorance,
and illiteracy were rampant. The Church had
become drunk with power and lusting for wealth.
But, by God’s grace, the Gospel was able to shine through and disperse the
dark clouds of corruption and heresy. The Scripture became accessible to the masses,
and God’s illuminating truths were widely known and relished again. In view of this, post
tenebrus lux became a fitting rallying cry for the aflame, grateful
Reformers – Luther, John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli, John Knox, and many others –
whom the Holy Spirit used as instruments to bring this about.
I thank God for their lives. And I thank God for the Reformation.
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