Lord’s Day, Vol. 8 No. 43
16thCentury Protestant Reformation – Rekindling of Hope
Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
On the last Lord’s Day in October every year, we remember the 16thCentury Protestant Reformation. A momentous time of spiritual revival in the history of the church next only to Pentecost. It took place on 31 October 1517, when the Augustinian monk Martin Luther, nailed his 95 theses on the castle-door of the church in Wittenberg, igniting a revival in the church to put the Scriptures in the hands of the common people so that Romans 15:4 can once again be a reality after 1000 years of spiritual darkness, rekindling comfort, patience and hope in the hearts of God’s people.
(1) Comfort
The basic meaning of the word “comfort” is calling someone to oneself. Here the source of comfort alluded to is the Scriptures. In other words, men once again finding comfort from or in God.
The only way to God through His Son Jesus Christ. This is once again made accessible to dying men in total bondage to sin through the enlightenment of Scripture.
The church historian S.M. Houghton wrote, “Luther’s chief struggle had to do with the phrase “the righteousness of God”. He was convinced that in Romans 1:17 and elsewhere these words referred to the awful holiness of God, and His unchanging hatred of sin and sinners. How could he, Martin Luther, ever achieve the kind of holiness, that would turn away the anger of God against him?
He did not understand Paul’s words in Romans that the gospel is the saving power of God to everyone who believes in Christ, because it reveals the righteousness of God. This righteousness is none other than Christ’s perfect obedience to His Father’s will in life and death, “even the death of the cross” – obedience which counts as belonging to those whose place Christ died. Just as the punishment of the believer’s sin was borne by Christ so it is because of Christ’s righteousness that the same believer, though ungodly himself, is pronounced “just” or righteous in the sight of God. In this way, Paul says, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5).”
Houghton further wrote, “When the Holy Spirit revealed this to Luther, and he learned that it was by faith alone that he could be saved, and not by his own good works, the light of the truth shone with such brilliance, and brought such deliverance to his spirit, that he felt Paul’s words, “The just shall live by faith”, were the very gates of Paradise itself. And so the great truth, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH … became the fundamental truth of the Reformation. In other words, a wonderful reformation came personally to Luther before God used him as the instrument of the Reformation in Europe…
He rejoiced in salvation, not by works of the law performed by the sinners, not by ceremonies and penances and similar observances prescribed by the Roman Catholic Church, but by the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. New light was shed upon the entire Bible, which became to him a book of life and comfort, and of wisdom from above. All the blessings and benefits of redemption through “the precious blood of Christ” came to him. He breathed the fresh air of God’s redeeming love.”
(2) Patience
Houghton then wrote, “Luther had wanted to spread to all men the saving truth that had brought him out of darkness into light. He longed to preach justification by faith far and wide and gradually he became conscious of the great work that awaited him. Difficulties abounded, but he learned to say, as did the apostle Paul, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. The future, though dark, was at the time bright with hope.”
Martin Luther was God’s instrument to proclaim the comfort of Scriptures to his people when he translated the Scriptures into his native German language. With the invention of the printing press also in Germany earlier, the first book published by the modern printing press, was the Bible.
Great persecution ensued for Luther. He patiently endured and trusted God to help him proclaim the Good News of the Gospel message from Germany to other parts of Europe.
(3) Hope
With the Scriptures made available to the common people, light sprung up again all over Europe as men, like Martin Luther, found peace with God, as they read the Scriptures. We enjoy the fruit of the Reformation today because of the patient endurance of men like Martin Luther despite great persecution, to put God’s Word in the hands of the common people.
May the church of Jesus Christ cherish our spiritual heritage in the Scriptures, endeavouring to likewise share the comfort, patience and hope of God in our generation. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee