What Is Reformation Day and How Can Christians Remember It?
By Lynette Kittle
Bible Reading
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” - Ephesians 2:8
Some may wonder what Reformation Day is all about and why it is considered such a big deal in Church history. Commemorated on the same day as Halloween, why should we as Christians take time to remember it?
Who’s Behind the Reformation?
Born November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Germany, Martin Luther grew up to be the catalyst for the Reformation. A thunderstorm is accredited to beginning his spiritual journey in 1505, while he was studying law at the University of Erfurt.
Some may call his experience a crisis of faith, where a bolt of lightning striking near him terrified him to the point of making a deal with God for divine protection by promising St. Anne he would become a monk if she would graciously spare his life.
Even though Luther’s father, a hard-working miner, strongly disapproved, Luther diligently pursued becoming a monk. Intense in his pursuit of holiness, Luther whipped himself raw in an attempt to appease the wrath of a holy God and feel worthy and deserving enough to go to heaven. He also regularly confessed his sins for up to six hours a day.
During Luther’s zealous study of the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit revealed to him that the just shall live by faith and that none of his self-afflictions would justify him before God but only come through faith in Jesus Christ.
How Did the Reformation Begin?
With Luther’s revelation concerning Salvation, came his disillusionment with the errors in the Church’s teaching and practices, involving selling indulgences to raise money and convincing individuals that their giving of money for their deceased relatives could release them from purgatory.
With hopes of sparking an academic debate and reform, on October 31, 1517, Luther wrote 95 theses against this revenue-generating scheme, along with other abuses he discovered within the Church, nailing his document on the Wittenberg, Germany, Cathedral door for all to see, a common practice at the time.
However, the Church didn’t approve of Luther spreading his findings via the newly invented printing press and wasn’t open to his corrections. Still, his ideas spread throughout Germany, stirring up much controversy, which led to the Church Council in 1521 demanding Luther recant his thesis.
Luther Ushers in the Reformation
However, Luther refused to recant his thesis, writing, “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by evident reason—for I can believe neither pope nor councils alone, as it is clear that they have erred repeatedly and contradicted themselves—I consider myself convicted by the testimony of Holy Scripture, which is my bases: my conscience is captive to the Word of God. Thus, I cannot and will not recant because acting against one’s conscience is neither safe nor sound. God help me. Amen.”
Luther’s refusal to recant cost him dearly, leading to his being excommunicated from the Catholic Church in 1521 by Pope Leo X. His unwavering stand led him to be declared an outlaw and heretic, causing him to run for his life and find refuge with Fredrick the Wise at Wartburg Castle under an assumed name and disguise.
During his time there, Luther translated the Bible into German, which helped him to put the written word of God into the hands of the common people. His actions ushered in a new era, referred to as the Reformation, of placing God’s Word in the hands of individuals and giving birth to the Protestant Churches.
Luther’s efforts gave individuals the opportunity to read the Bible for themselves, leading to many lives being transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He understood how people need to read and study God’s Word on their own, believing wholeheartedly what 2 Timothy 3:16 teaches: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.”
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Ask God to help you spread the truth of Salvation, that it comes as a gift from God through faith and not through anything we do ourselves to attain it.
Further Reading:
6 Reasons Christians Should Celebrate Reformation Day
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/typo-graphics
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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