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RETURN TO THE GOSPEL

Reformation Day Special Lecture

Dr. Augustine Suh, Chicago HQ

This week, we are celebrating the Reformation. Surely, we don’t celebrate the division of the church that came from the Reformation. But it is a powerful reminder that we should go back to the fountains. God brings about revival and renewal to his church as we go back to the fountains: back to the gospel, back to the Bible! Evangelical Christianity including our UBF church is much indebted to the legacy of the Reformation. In my presentation, I’m going to highlight some central events and the relevance of the Reformation.

95 Theses

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed a list of 95 theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany. These were intended to spark a debate on the topic of indulgences. Pope Leo X needed cash to finish St. Peter's Basilica, so he made a deal with Albert, the archbishop and the ruling prince of Mainz: The German prince could sell indulgences in Mainz if he turned over half of his profits to the pope. The man put in charge of the sale of indulgences in Germany was the Dominican Tetzel. He claimed, “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.” Such claims were morally outrageous and theologically irresponsible, exploiting the common people’s affection for their dead. All of this sickened Martin Luther who was a monk and university professor. Out of righteous indignation, Luther posted 95 theses. It was a direct criticism of the idea that a dead soul might be saved from purgatory on payment of money to the church. Here are 3 of his 95 theses:

Thesis 6: “The pope has no power to forgive sins, except by confirming it has been forgiven by God.”

Thesis 52: “Confidence in salvation through letters of indulgence is vain.”

Thesis 62: “The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.”

Luther preached the gospel into the darkness of his time. This is the meaning of Reformation day. Printers soon spread copies of the 95 theses like wildfire throughout Germany, both in their original Latin text and in a German translation.

Rediscovery of the Gospel: The Righteousness of God

What is “the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God” that Luther rediscovered? In 1505, Luther, almost 22 years old, was walking along the rutted road. All of a sudden, a thunder lightning struck a tree nearby and the traveler to the ground. Being terrified, Luther screamed, “Saint Anne, save me! I will become a monk!” About two weeks later, he kept his promise and became a devout monk by joining the Augustinian monastery at Erfurt. However, his terror followed him. Luther wanted to find peace in God, but he didn’t find it. He was deeply aware of his own sin and of God's holiness. God seemed to him a severe judge. Martin's monastery sent him to the University of Wittenberg to study. In 1512, Luther received his PhD in theology. Still, one question haunted Martin Luther: How can anyone please a righteous God?

He studied Psalms (1513-15). The great discovery came when Luther lectured on the Romans (1515-16). According to his own testimony, he hated the very phrase “the righteousness of God,” which was unbearable for sinners. His agonizing question was how the justice of God and the gospel belong together in Romans 1:17, which says, “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (He studied the Romans in Greek) Day and night, he meditated on these words. Then, the answer came: The righteousness of God does not refer to the punishment of sinners. Instead, it refers to the justice/righteousness of God by which the merciful God declares us righteous. God is not only righteous, but he also can give righteousness to sinners. So, the righteousness of God is a free gift of God to sinners. Therefore, “The righteous will live by faith” (Ro 1:17). Finally, Luther found peace. In the preface to Latin works (1545), he testified about his breakthrough and he said:

“This immediately made me feel as though I had been born again, and as though I had entered through open gates into paradise itself. From that moment, I saw the whole Scripture in a new light … And now, where I had once hated the phrase, “the righteousness of God,” I began to love and extol it as the sweetest of phrases, so that this passage in Paul became the very gate of paradise to me.”

Through the discovery of the gospel, Luther set the world on fire. His life was transformed by the gospel, as Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” People don’t like to hear that they all are sinners deserving God’s judgement and condemnation. But this is a fact, and we all need good news about the righteousness of God. The Reformation clearly teaches that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone (sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, sola scriptura). All this is to render “glory to God alone” (This is the fifth “alone” of the Reformation according to the Reformed tradition).

Grace Alone (Sola Gratia)!

Salvation is not just by grace, but by grace alone apart from our works. It is not by grace plus our works. The righteousness of God is not earned by our effort but given by God. Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God given to us. It is entirely the gift of God (Eph 2:8-9). This concept of grace is the key to unlocking the Bible; as Luther called it: “the very gate of paradise.” By default, sinners want to be approved and accepted by their achievement. Human pride insists on our works in addition to God’s grace. But the grace of God not only liberates us from slavery to sin, it also disrupts and turns our achievement-driven life upside down.

Faith Alone (Sola Fide)!

Justification is through faith alone apart from our works. Justification through faith alone became the central teaching of the Reformation. Sinners are justified “through faith alone.” What does faith mean? Faith is not merely intellectual agreement with an abstract set of doctrines. Rather, faith is essentially trust; it is putting our trust in God who made his promises and is faithful to them. Faith unites the believer to Christ. As Luther expresses, it is a “wedding ring,” that points to mutual commitment between Christ and the believer (On Christian Liberty, 1520). So, in faith, we respond wholeheartedly to God and his grace. A sinner is declared righteous through faith. Therefore, the righteous will live by faith, from first to last.

“Justification by faith” does not mean that the sinner is justified because he or she believes, based upon his or her faith. It is not our work. Rather, it is an instrument by which we simply receive the righteousness of God. In justification, God gives, and we receive through faith. Therefore, the phrase “justification by grace alone through faith alone” expresses more clearly the “faith alone” of the Reformation.

The grace of God saves us through faith apart from good works. Does this minimize the role of good works in the Christian life? Does the Reformation destroy the ground for morality? No. Good works are not the source of justification, but its the results. Luther uses the analogy of tree: a good tree bears good fruit (On Christian Liberty). Likewise, a justified person can do good works. Luther sees good works as the natural result of having been justified. In this way, the Reformation set Christian morality in its proper context.

Christ Alone (Solus Christus)!

Salvation is found in Christ alone (apart from human works). Christ alone is the Mediator and Savior (1Tim 2:5). Christ died as the perfect sacrifice once of all! Christ is enough for redemption. We are sinners and can’t earn righteousness, like gathering many achievement badges. What we need is Jesus Christ alone. Christ is the righteousness of God given to us. Based on Christ’ sole perfect priesthood, Reformation taught priesthood of all believers. Now in Jesus Christ, we have direct access to the throne of God’s grace.

We can be forgiven of our sin and have a right standing with God only because we are united to Jesus Christ through faith that trusts Christ alone. All who are united to Jesus are declared to be right with God. Those who are united to Christ and justified by his grace alone are now called, liberated, and empowered by God to love, serve, and honor him in every area of our lives (see Luther’s writings 1518-21).

Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura)!

The reformers were guided by the authority of Scripture, the Word of God. They insisted that the authority of popes and councils is subordinate to that of Scripture.

In 1520, Pope Leo X published a bull, or notice written in the pope’s name, entitled, “Arise, O Lord,” which demanded that Luther recant his writings. Luther responded by burning the notice in public. Two months later, Luther received a letter saying, “Come under safe conduct, to answer with regard to your books.” This was the Diet of Worms, or meeting at the German town called Worms. Luther expected to die at the Diet of Worms. A century earlier Jan Hus had been promised safe conduct, but was burned at the stake, on similar charges.

At the diet in 1521, a bishop asked Luther, “Do you want to recant your teachings?” Luther said, “Give me time to think it over.” After prayer, the next day Luther replied:  

“I stand convinced by the Scriptures to which I have appealed, and my conscience is taken captive by the Word of God. I cannot, and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. On this I take my stand. I can do no other. God help me” (April 18, 1521).

On refusing to recant, he was declared a heretic and formally excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Martin Luther would have suffered the same fate as Jan Hus, but Frederick the Wise, the ruler of Saxony secretly sent soldiers to safeguard him. As Martin traveled, they kidnapped him and took him to the abandoned Wartburg Castle.

There, Luther worked on a translation of the Bible into German and published his German New Testament in 1522 and the Old Testament 12 years later. He did this because common people could not read Latin, but the gospel is to be read and heard everywhere. The reformers did a great job in helping us to read the Bible.

The Reformation was a revival movement that can be summarized with the slogan sola scriptura, “by Scripture alone.” It taught to go back to the Word of God. To reform the church and revive it as the church of Christ, we must go back to the Bible, that is, the Word of God. Holy Scripture is God-breathed, and it is the ultimate and trustworthy authority for our faith and practice.

Scripture and Tradition

So, does the church have authority over Scripture? No. The Word of God creates the church, not vice versa. The Bible, as the Word of God, must be regarded as superior to all other authorities including the church Fathers and councils. Sola Scriptura doesn’t mean to reject church’s historic creeds. While emphasizing the authority of Scripture, the Reformation agrees with the Church Fathers that we should read Scripture within the historic faith of the church. At the same time, we should understand tradition in light of Scripture. Church tradition is expressed in ecumenical creeds that essentially include the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed. This is a single-source approach to tradition adopted by the mainstream Reformation (cf. A. McGrath, Reformation Thought). This is a critical truth in this confused time. Hanging on to the authority of the Bible is essential for us today because it is the Word of God, living and active.

Glory to God Alone (Soli Deo Gloria)!

Now, let me ask this question: Why do we celebrate the Reformation today? We don’t celebrate the great reformers as heroes. Luther made clear that the hero is not he, but God who gives us life by his Word:

“What is Luther? The teaching is not mine. Nor was I crucified for anyone … How did I, poor stinking bag of maggots that I am, come to the point where people call the children of Christ by my evil name? … I simply taught, preached, wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing” (The Second Invocavit Sermon, March 10, 1522).

After the reformer John Calvin died in May of 1564, he was buried in an unmarked grave with only initials J.C. The reason is that he wanted no pilgrimages to his grave. Reformers were like John the Baptist, pointing fingers to Christ. Reformation tradition turns our attention to God, with a motto: Glory to God alone (Soli Deo Gloria)! Westminster Shorter Catechism, in first lines teaches: “Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” The hero of the Reformation is God. The gospel of grace of God is the hero of the Reformation. God graciously gave his servants the gospel of grace to proclaim.

Is the Reformation over now? No. The church is always to be reformed according to the Word of God (Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda secundum verbum Dei). In our own day there is a desperate need for men and women to go back to the gospel found in Scripture. Salvation is given by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and according to Scripture alone. Glory to God alone! Though time changes, the gospel never changes. May we see revival in our church and society as we go back to the gospel of the glory and grace of God! May God bless us to constantly go back to the Bible!