Salvation: Five Insights from the Reformation

Milestones mark important events in our lives. We remember and celebrate birthdays and wedding anniversaries, and commemorate tragedies like terrorist attacks or the death of a loved one. But why do these milestones merit our annual attention?

They help us to remember and never forget. They also cause us to pause and reflect, to think beyond the daily grind and remember who we are and why we are here. They provide us the chance to give thanks, celebrate, and sometimes mourn. As Christians, milestones in our faith life also help us remember who we belong to and what we believe.

The 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation

This October Protestant Christians around the world will celebrate a major milestone. October 31, 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of when Martin Luther, a German monk, is said to have nailed his 95 theses to the door of Castle church in Wittenburg.

Luther’s actions that day were simple; he was merely posting a notice to the community bulletin board of his time, raising concerns and topics for discussion. To us, the event seems momentous and courageous. But that’s because we know Luther’s actions launched a movement that changed the course of the Christian Church forever.

History Impacts Our Faith

Why should we continue to care about the Protestant Reformation? Because like any milestone it gives us the opportunity to offer thanksgiving and to remember again the people and events that got us where we are today. But even more importantly, we celebrate because the effects of this historical event still impact our faith today.

Are you reading a Bible written in your native language? That privilege is just one result of the Reformation. Have you prayed directly to God without asking a saint or church leader to intercede on your behalf to receive God’s forgiveness? These common spiritual practices and others like them can be traced back to the work of the Reformers.

Celebrating the Reformation on Groundwork

We’ll be honoring the efforts of the Reformers and studying the significance of the Protestant Reformation on Groundwork, by doing what we do best: studying scripture. Our focus will be on salvation, the area of Christian belief most directly refined, shaped and clarified, during the time of the Protestant Reformation.

How often do you reflect on your salvation? I invite you to join Groundwork as we study the scripture passages that led Reformers to these important doctrinal teachings through our Groundwork series “Salvation: Five Insights from the Reformation.”

Salvation

• By Faith Alone - Romans 1:16-17
• By Scripture Alone - 2 Timothy 3:10-17
• Through Christ Alone  - 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
• By Grace Alone - Ephesians 2:1-9 and Romans 6:1-4
• Glory to God Alone - Colossians 3:5-10, Psalm 115:1, and Deuteronomy 8:10-18

Together we’ll study scripture, remember to whom we belong and give thanks for the dedication and passion of the Reformers whose hard-fought efforts continue to inform our faith today.

A Gift for You

Want to keep the study going? Maybe you’d like to delve a little deeper into these teachings, increase your retention, and maximize their impact on your daily faith walk. I encourage you to continue experiencing the significance of the Protestant Reformation for your personal faith by downloading the devotional ebook “The Reformation for Today,” published by Today daily devotional.