Reformation Day: Past and Present
By Chaplain Brandt Klawitter
Christian News, November 7, 2011
When reflecting on Reformation Day and the events surrounding Luther posting his 95 Thesis on the door of the castle church in 1517, many thoughts come to mind. We think of that day as Luther first stood up in opposition to the false teachings of the church. We think of the months and years that followed as Luther, out-manned and out-gunned, so to speak, stood up against church and empire to boldly confess the truth of God’s Word.
Yes, we like to look back at that day as one might look with great nostalgia towards some great victory in a battle that never needs to be fought again. It’s enough to simply celebrate the victory; fighting is no longer necessary, we tell ourselves. In fact, whether visiting Wittenberg, Germany, or reading about its history in books, that’s the overwhelming view that we often have of Luther’s Reformation.
Yet, is the Reformation best described using the verb “was,” as if it were a one-time event for which the last page has been written and the final chapter closed, or is the Reformation actually something more, perhaps better described using the word “is” and viewed as an ongoing event that will continue on until the return of our Lord?
In truth, the Reformation was not and is not an isolated event. If anything, it was only one more outbreak in the war between truth and deception, light and darkness, God and those that would oppose Him. The pages of the Old and New Testaments are filled with the violence and evil inflicted on truth and upon God’s people by His enemies. Whether it was violence to those faithful messengers of God, the prophets and apostles, or violence to God’s name and glory in the form of false-teaching, this war raged throughout the distant past. In the early centuries of the church, heresy of all forms afflicted the faithful followers of Christ, constantly vying to replace God’s saving truth with a lie. Luther’s faithful stand in defense of Scripture’s clear teaching that salvation is by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, on account of Christ alone, was another outbreak of this age-old war.
In light of this historic reality, it would be fool-hardy to celebrate the Reformation as a one-time battle that must never be revisited. We would only be fooling ourselves if we were to believe today that the Enemy has not armed himself with even more death-dealing deception than at Luther’s time (or any other time in church history, for that matter) while we light-heartedly celebrate the winning of a one-time battle. C.F.W. Walther once rightly remarked that Christian Doctrine is such that if it is attacked at any one point, everything is threatened. Attack Christ’s two natures, and salvation is threatened. Attack the Trinity and one ends up with an idol. Attack the proper teaching of God’s Law and you will lose Christ and the Gospel. Confuse and pervert God’s teachings on marriage and children and you’ll lose the family and the future of the church. Attack Scripture’s teaching on the nature of truth, and you’ll lose the foundation upon which all things are built. In short, there are countless points of attack for the Enemy and all of them are potentially lethal. There is no point in the lines of defense that can be a matter of indifference—not when it comes to the truth of God’s Word and its purpose of sharing God’s way of salvation for sinful man.
Yet, as we focus on the on-going battle waged by the church militant on Reformation Day, we also bring into focus the true champion of the battle. Luther’s hymn, A Mighty Fortress, illustrates this point most magnificently. While this world’s prince may scowl and devils should fill all the world, Christ and His word will never be conquered. You see, most importantly, we are reminded on this day of the Valiant One who fights for us through His Word. This battle is not one of human arms or might, but is one that is waged by the power of God and whose victory is ultimately assured through Christ’s triumph over sin, death, and the devil through His glorious resurrection.
Thus, as another Reformation Day comes and goes, certainly, we do celebrate God and thank Him for faithful warriors who labored and fought in that line of prophets, apostles, and martyrs known as the church militant. Most of all, we thank Him for His glorious Word, Jesus Christ, who fights for us. Yet, until the last trumpet calls out, the battle does rage on. And thus, Reformation Day remains a rallying day for the church militant in the fight that must continue.
In that way, it is not merely a day of celebration or the commemoration of a one-time event, but it is a call to repentance and to rejoin the battle. It is a call to each of us to soberly and humbly return to God’s Word. It is a call for us to turn once again with repentant hearts and look to God’s Son for that mercy which we did not deserve yet have so freely received. It is a time to pray that God would richly fill us with His Spirit to take up the weapons of our warfare, His Word and prayer, and strengthen us to labor on in the battle into which we have each been called.
By Chaplain Brandt Klawitter
Christian News, November 7, 2011
When reflecting on Reformation Day and the events surrounding Luther posting his 95 Thesis on the door of the castle church in 1517, many thoughts come to mind. We think of that day as Luther first stood up in opposition to the false teachings of the church. We think of the months and years that followed as Luther, out-manned and out-gunned, so to speak, stood up against church and empire to boldly confess the truth of God’s Word.
Yes, we like to look back at that day as one might look with great nostalgia towards some great victory in a battle that never needs to be fought again. It’s enough to simply celebrate the victory; fighting is no longer necessary, we tell ourselves. In fact, whether visiting Wittenberg, Germany, or reading about its history in books, that’s the overwhelming view that we often have of Luther’s Reformation.
Yet, is the Reformation best described using the verb “was,” as if it were a one-time event for which the last page has been written and the final chapter closed, or is the Reformation actually something more, perhaps better described using the word “is” and viewed as an ongoing event that will continue on until the return of our Lord?
In truth, the Reformation was not and is not an isolated event. If anything, it was only one more outbreak in the war between truth and deception, light and darkness, God and those that would oppose Him. The pages of the Old and New Testaments are filled with the violence and evil inflicted on truth and upon God’s people by His enemies. Whether it was violence to those faithful messengers of God, the prophets and apostles, or violence to God’s name and glory in the form of false-teaching, this war raged throughout the distant past. In the early centuries of the church, heresy of all forms afflicted the faithful followers of Christ, constantly vying to replace God’s saving truth with a lie. Luther’s faithful stand in defense of Scripture’s clear teaching that salvation is by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, on account of Christ alone, was another outbreak of this age-old war.
In light of this historic reality, it would be fool-hardy to celebrate the Reformation as a one-time battle that must never be revisited. We would only be fooling ourselves if we were to believe today that the Enemy has not armed himself with even more death-dealing deception than at Luther’s time (or any other time in church history, for that matter) while we light-heartedly celebrate the winning of a one-time battle. C.F.W. Walther once rightly remarked that Christian Doctrine is such that if it is attacked at any one point, everything is threatened. Attack Christ’s two natures, and salvation is threatened. Attack the Trinity and one ends up with an idol. Attack the proper teaching of God’s Law and you will lose Christ and the Gospel. Confuse and pervert God’s teachings on marriage and children and you’ll lose the family and the future of the church. Attack Scripture’s teaching on the nature of truth, and you’ll lose the foundation upon which all things are built. In short, there are countless points of attack for the Enemy and all of them are potentially lethal. There is no point in the lines of defense that can be a matter of indifference—not when it comes to the truth of God’s Word and its purpose of sharing God’s way of salvation for sinful man.
Yet, as we focus on the on-going battle waged by the church militant on Reformation Day, we also bring into focus the true champion of the battle. Luther’s hymn, A Mighty Fortress, illustrates this point most magnificently. While this world’s prince may scowl and devils should fill all the world, Christ and His word will never be conquered. You see, most importantly, we are reminded on this day of the Valiant One who fights for us through His Word. This battle is not one of human arms or might, but is one that is waged by the power of God and whose victory is ultimately assured through Christ’s triumph over sin, death, and the devil through His glorious resurrection.
Thus, as another Reformation Day comes and goes, certainly, we do celebrate God and thank Him for faithful warriors who labored and fought in that line of prophets, apostles, and martyrs known as the church militant. Most of all, we thank Him for His glorious Word, Jesus Christ, who fights for us. Yet, until the last trumpet calls out, the battle does rage on. And thus, Reformation Day remains a rallying day for the church militant in the fight that must continue.
In that way, it is not merely a day of celebration or the commemoration of a one-time event, but it is a call to repentance and to rejoin the battle. It is a call to each of us to soberly and humbly return to God’s Word. It is a call for us to turn once again with repentant hearts and look to God’s Son for that mercy which we did not deserve yet have so freely received. It is a time to pray that God would richly fill us with His Spirit to take up the weapons of our warfare, His Word and prayer, and strengthen us to labor on in the battle into which we have each been called.
Thanks for sharing this fine sermon.
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