Four hundred and eighty-nine years ago today in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Wittenburg door in Germany. This started a chain of events that started the Reformation. The main point that Martin Luther stressed was man cannot earn his salvation through good works. Only through faith alone in Christ alone can man have salvation. His soul was convicted of this when he read Romans 3:28, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law."
"Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins and was raised again for our justification ... herefore, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us...Nothing of this article can be yielded or surrendered, even though heaven and earth and everything else falls." -Martin LutherHe also spoke out against the Catholic Church indulgences.
"In thesis 28 Luther objected to a saying attributed to Tetzel: "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs". The 95 Theses not only denounced such transactions as worldly but denied the pope's right to grant pardons on God's behalf in the first place: the only thing indulgences guaranteed, Luther said, was an increase in profit and greed, because the pardon of the Church was in God's power alone." Wikipedia.com
I would much rather celebrate this day as Reformation Day than Halloween. This the day that set into motion events that would eventually lead the Bible to be translated into the common language so everyone would be able to read and study the Bible for themselves and not have to rely on the Catholic to just tell them what it said. It allowed the true gospel of salvation to go out into the world even more. This is much more exciting than ghosts, goblins, witches and candy!
By Grace Alone
hymn by Martin Luther
Out of the depths I cry to You,
Lord hear my voice of pleading;
Bend down Your gracious ear, I pray,
Your humble servant heeding.
If You remember each deed,
and of each thought and word take heed,
who can remain before You:
Only by grace, by grace alone.
Your pardon is a gift of love,
Your grace alone must save us,
Our works will not remove our guilt,
The strictest life would fail us.
Let none in deeds or merits boast,
but let us own the Holy Ghost
for He alone can change us:
Only by grace, by grace alone.
Though great our sins and sore our woes
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
our utmost need it soundeth.
Our kind and faithful Shepherd He,
who will set all His people free
from all their sin and sorrow:
Only by grace, by grace alone.
