Romans 3:7, Remembering the Protestant Reformation

Romans 3:7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

Today we remember how Martin Luther, the German Augustinian monk, sparked the 16th century Protestant Reformation on 31 October 1517 when he nailed his 95 statements to expose the doctrinal errors of the Roman Catholic Church. He was asked to recant of the “lies” that he gleaned from the Bible. The cardinal doctrine at stake was the doctrine of salvation – salvation by grace alone, through faith only, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone! The Protestant Reformation was a movement back to the Bible to find eternal life-giving truths. It was a movement to bring the gospel to dying men living without hope and the prospect of a Christ-less eternity. It was a movement to put the Word of God in the common language of the people. A work that has since gained greater momentum, among His remnant, in Reformed churches as they see the Lord’s return fast approaching.

It was in the study of the Book of Romans that Martin Luther discovered the doctrine of grace. He was soundly converted and showed forth a boldness to share the truth with others. He quoted these verses of the Apostle Paul as a conviction in his heart to brave untold dangers to bring the truth to the fainted and the weary and the comfortless – Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.  

It was the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ when He came upon earth exposing the falsehood in Jewry, the doctrine of the scribes and the Pharisees. It was a costly battle. Our Lord Jesus paid with His life. Christ’s suffering and death won our redemption. He rose from the dead the third day victorious over sin and death to live forevermore.

Amidst the failure of the nation of Israel and the failure of the church, God used all these for His glory to fulfil His redemption plan. What a great God we serve. We look forward to the day soon when we shall see Him face to face. What a blessed day it will be. It will be worth it all! Amen.