"The Reformation, what's with that?"
Sometimes when people ask about this, I'll draw a little sketch on a piece of paper or napkin. It's my seven-minute overview of what happened following Luther's posting of his 95 theses (points to debate) on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg on the eve of All Saints Day, 1517.
This is a very rough
generalization indeed...
First key issue:
authority. The foundation. How do we know we are right about what we
believe about being right with God? The
Roman Catholic church held that it was the Scriptures, but with a caveat: specifically, the Scriptures as interpreted
and applied by the authority of the Church.
So, to the authority base of the Bible was added the
magisterium, that is, what the church, tradition, councils, and Popes
officially ruled. It was the
"Bible-plus."
The Reformers said,
no (or nay), the councils and traditions and church rulers are very important,
but not infallible. The authority
derives from God's revelation alone, namely the Bible. So they used a slogan to summarize this
point: "sola Scriptura", which
is Latin for "the Scripture alone."
Second key issue:
the merit of salvation. Upon that
authoritative revelation is placed the work of Jesus Christ. Again, it becomes a matter of something-plus. The Roman church held that it was Jesus who
was meritorious in his passion and resurrection, but that there is also merit
(or grace) which proceeds from others.
For example, Mary, and various Saints,
were better than they needed to be and so their goodness became a
surplus, or "treasury of merits" for believers to use in this
world. Therefore, people could petition Mary or
other Saints for aid or various needs because they had power and influence before
God.
To this the
Reformers also said, no, it is Christ alone who is meritorious and worthy. He is the sole fount of grace and
salvation. Hence, "solus
Christus," or Christ alone. They
believed that the Bible taught that Jesus accomplished everything we need for
life and eternal salvation, and that this is mediated to the believer through
the Holy Spirit and the Word.
Thirdly, our
response. Upon the Christ revealed to us
in the Bible we place faith. The Roman
church said that this, too, was a matter of something-plus, namely, faith plus
works. Justification was viewed as a
good beginning which could (and should) be improved upon. Ultimate justification (being declared
righteous) would come when faith and works have been perfected by the end of
this life, or perhaps in the next (hence purgatory). Assurance of salvation in this life was not
really viewed as a good thing.
The Reformers again
disagreed. As important as works were as
evidence and fruit of living faith (and these are vitally important), yet faith
itself is the empty hand which receives the completed gift of grace. From that faith one is justified (declared
righteous), and from that faith comes good works. Assurance of salvation was viewed as a good
thing which led to good works, by responding to grace in childlike gratitude. God's assessment of believers is wholly
gracious (and unchanging) since it comes from his consideration of us in
eternal union with his Son, rather than from the perfection (or imperfection)
of our works. So again the Reformers
came up with a phrase, actually two: "sola gratia" (grace alone) and "sola fide" (faith
alone).
In conclusion the
Reformers would assert, "soli Deo gloria", that is, God alone is
glorified as the gracious giver of our salvation from beginning to end.
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