“Here I Stand. I Can Do No Other”
In 1521, a German Monk by the name of Martin Luther pronounced these words before the Diet of Worms where he was summoned to answer for his writings and either renounce or reaffirm his views. In response, He boldly proclaimed “My conscience is captive to the word of God! To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I therefore cannot, and I will not recant! Here I stand, I can do no other.” These words would resonate over the next 100 years as other men joined in the good fight to recover the Gospel and recover Justification by Grace through Faith Alone.
Martin Luther’s journey to be the bold proclaimer of these words started much earlier, in fact the moment that started his path to the Diet of Worms began in 1517. On 31 October 1517, a day we now refer to as Reformation Day, Martin Luther walked up to the church in Wittenberg, Germany and nailed his 95 theses to the door. This was a collection of theological and academic complaints and disagreements with how the Roman Catholic Church was using and administering Indulgences, along with other issues within the Church.
Simply put, indulgences would allow someone to purchase forgiveness of sins in order to speed up their time or the time of a loved one in purgatory. This did not sit well with Luther, in fact there was a phrase that Luther would hear that caused the unsettled nature of his heart to swell. “As a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs.” This statement stirred Luther’s concern for this even more and moved him with purpose.
So Luther gathered his thoughts and put those thoughts on a page. It’s important to understand that Luther had no intention of starting a reformation, all he desired to do was point out issues in some of the church’s teaching. But what Luther didn’t realize is that his concerns would be the spark that would begin the great fire of the Reformation.
Soon after, Luther’s 95 was taken to the local printing press and his concerns were mass produced. So much so, that it would be spread all throughout Germany and as his ideas spread so did Luther’s renown. He become an issue for the Roman Catholic Church because he challenged the authority of the Pope by disagreeing with a directive placed by Papal authority.
In Roman Catholic teaching, the Pope is the supreme authority and speaks as if God is speaking. The Pope is called the Vicar of Christ because he is the earthly representative of Christ. There is supreme and ultimate authority in the words and actions of the Pope over the Roman Catholic Church and in Luther’s time, to go against the Pope meant ruin for the challenger. Luther was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church and in 1521 faced questioning before the Diet of Worms to recant. In the providence of the Lord, Luther was kept safe after these events and began to work. His work resulted in much theological recovery of the Gospel and on the teaching on Justification. Luther also was a masterful musician and wrote many hymns and songs during this time.
As we look back over the last 507 years since Martin Luther walked up to the church door in Wittenberg, we can see the sovereignty of God working throughout His Church. The Lord has been patient and kind with His people. He has given us many men who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of the recovery of the Gospel and the correct understanding of Justification by Grace through Faith Alone.
I believe there were two main battlegrounds on which the Reformation was fought and as a result two victories came from it. The first is regarding Authority. Who has ultimate authority over the church, is it a man or is it Christ as its head with the Scripture being the final authority for all matters of life and Godliness. Then, the second area is regarding the correct understanding of Justification or you can simplify it with the correct understanding of salvation.
Salvation for the Roman Catholic is faith plus works, where as in scripture we see salvation is found only in Christ and is not a result of works but rather is through Faith alone in Christ. Because these two areas were contested 507 years ago, they will always be the battleground on which each generation much contend. That is why the battle cry of the Reformation of Semper Reformanda rings true to this day, to always be reforming.
This does not mean to reinvent the wheel, but rather to recover what is correct and right based upon Scripture. We are called to remember what Christ taught us, we are told many times in Scripture to remember and turn our thoughts to things above. This is the remedy for us as followers of Christ to never be distracted by the wisdom of man but instead to fix our eyes on Christ, the author and perfecter of our Faith.
As a result of the Reformation, theological truth was solidified and put into specific wording, these Reformational truths have survived the last 500 years and act as a foundation of the Protestant faith. These truths are called the Five Solas of the Reformation. Sola is Latin for alone or by oneself. The Five Solas of the Reformation are the following:
1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone): Scripture alone is the sole source of divine
revelation, the only inspired, infallible, final and authoritative norm of faith and practice.
2. Sola Fide (Faith Alone): We are justified by faith in Christ alone. Without faith it is
impossible to please God. We are not saved by good works, we are saved by our faith in
what Christ has accomplished for us.
3. Sola Gratia (by Grace Alone): Salvation comes by grace alone. Salvation is a gift of
God by grace. This doctrine points to the fact that God saves us because of His mercy
and goodness and not on the basis of anything we could do.
4. Solus Christus (In Christ Alone or Through Christ Alone): This emphasizes the role of
Christ in salvation. It is through Christ’s penal substitutionary atonement on the cross
that sinners are reconciled to a Holy God. His redemptive work on the cross is what
brings the believer into right relationship with the Father
5. Soli Deo Gloria (For the Glory of God Alone): This brings it all together to show that
salvation and God’s redemptive work is all for His Glory. It is not for the keeping of rules
or our own interest, but we evangelize, we preach the Gospel and proclaim Christ as
Lord for the sole reason that God deserves our praise and glory because of what He has
done on our behalf. We should be doing all things to honor and give the Lord thanks.
I have listed out a few resources that you may find helpful in diving into the history and theological truth of the Reformation. Below are two books and I have added a podcast as well that has been influential in my learning over the years on this topic. I hope you find them as helpful as I have.
– The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World, by Stephen J Nicols.
– The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation by Michael Reeves
– Podcast: Ligonier Ministries: Luther in Real Time. This podcast goes through the months of Luther’s life leading up to the Diet of Worms.
Church, as we remember the Reformation, may we remember the faithfulness of God in how He leads and directs His church. May we desire to stir one another up, to edify one another and seek to serve Christ with our lives. Just as Luther and countless other men and women did in the generations to follow. May we be remembered for living lives of sacrifice for the Lord.
