October 31, 1517

So what was the significance of the date October 31, 1517?  Maybe it was the first Halloween.  No, it was something much better and far more important.  It actually marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.  At this time there were no Protestants you were either a Roman Catholic or a pagan.

Then on October 31, 1517 a German monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door at Wittenberg.  Luther simply wanted a debate but he never got one.  The 95 Theses especially opposed indulgences.  Indulgences were sold by the Catholic church for the pardon of sin.  People were being taught they could reduce their time in purgatory if they bought an indulgence or they could even reduce the time in purgatory for someone who had already died.  I must point out that the idea of purgatory is not taught in the Bible.  People were led to believe that they had to earn their salvation.  With people being lead astray like this Luther could not stay silent.  

Martin Luther actually set out to reform the Roman Catholic Church.  He did not intend to leave it.  But as he went along the differences between his beliefs and the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church only widened.  As he studied the Bible he rediscovered the doctrine of justification by faith alone.  He found that it was an alien righteousness that justified us before God.  It was the righteousness of Christ that we must have in order to be saved.  Christ takes our sin and gives us his righteousness when we place our faith in him alone.  Luther also discovered the theology of the cross as opposed to the theology of glory.  Luther's teaching quickly spread throughout Germany, Europe, and eventually the world.  

The Roman Catholic Church was not pleased with the teaching of Martin Luther.  In 1521 at the Diet of Worms it was demanded that Luther recant his writings.  Luther refused to recant his writings saying that unless he was convinced by Scripture or plain reason he would not.  He said his conscience was captive to the Word of God.  In his closing line he said here I stand.  One man stood against the Roman Catholic Church and the empire.  Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther and condemned him as a heretic.  Charles V put him under the imperial ban.  This meant that Luther could be killed at any time.  Luther lived under this for the rest of his life until he died in 1546.  

Many great doctrines were recovered in the Reformation.  Scripture alone is authoritative and not the Roman Catholic Church with its Pope and councils.  Salvation is by grace alone.  It is an undeserved gift from God and totally his work.  We are justified by faith alone and not by our own works.  Salvation is found in Christ alone and there is nothing we can add to it.  Christ and his work on the cross are totally sufficient.  Finally it is to God alone belongs the glory. It is important to understand that these ideas were very radical at the time.  They were not the accepted teaching as most modern evangelicals would assume.  The Roman Catholic Church also tried to keep the Bible out of the hands of the people.  They only allowed it to be translated into Latin.  Luther translated it into German and other Reformers translated it into other languages.  

Evangelical Protestants should remember October 31 as Reformation Day.  It marks the beginning of the Protestant Reformation which was led by its architect Martin Luther.  Luther's stand changed the church and the world.  Biblical Christianity was recovered during the Reformation.  As we look to Luther, Luther points us to Christ.  

Justified By Faith Alone

(Galatians 2:16) "yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified." (ESV)

The average person believes he is good enough to go to heaven.  He thinks he can earn favor with God.  It seems that all false religions also teach that you can earn your salvation.  But this is not the case as a look at Galatians 2:16 will show us.  

This verse is a good summary of the entire book of Galatians so lets take a look at it. The word justified means to be declared righteous by God.  In order for someone to be justified by works of the law he would have to be sinless, having perfect righteousness (See Romans 3:10,23).  Works of the law includes any human effort to be justified by God by keeping the law.  But no one is righteous and no one is capable of living up to God's perfect standard of holiness.  Justification comes through faith alone in Christ alone.  No one will be justified by works of the law. Christ and his work on the cross is totally sufficient for salvation.  Jesus takes our sin and gives us his perfect righteousness (See 2 Corinthians 5:21).  This is the only way we can be justified, declared righteous by God.  

This verse was used in the Protestant Reformation in the 1500's.  Martin Luther and other Reformers used it to defend the doctrine of justification by faith alone.  In fact Galatians was sometimes referred to as Luther's book.  The Roman Catholic Church held to justification by faith plus works as seen in their sacramental system which included things like the Mass and penance.  Galatians 2:16 clearly shows no one can be justified by works of the law.  Works cannot be added to faith in order to receive salvation.  Saving faith produces works but the works do not contribute to our salvation. The Roman Catholic Church even declared that if anyone holds to justification by faith alone let him be anathema (that is cursed or condemned).  Catholicism set itself up against the Word of God.  The Bible clearly teaches that we are justified by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.        

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Supreme Court Refuses Same Sex Marriage Cases

The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear cases brought by several states regarding their same sex marriage bans.  Lower courts have overturned the same sex marriage bans of the states.  This has the effect of allowing same sex marriage to be legal in all of the states.  Was the Courts refusal to hear the cases a bad thing?  Most likely the result would have been the U.S Supreme Court declaring a constitutional right to same sex marriage.  I would guess the vote by the Court would have been 6-3 or at best 5-4 in favor of it.  

Lets face it America is a nation of pagans.  The secular tide continues to roll and homosexual marriage will be legal in the United States.  Homosexuality is not seen as a sin against God.  It is seen as a normal lifestyle and something to be celebrated (see Romans 1:18-32).  How long will disapproval of homosexuality be tolerated?  Will Christians be convicted of hate crimes for holding Biblical beliefs?  It definitely seems that persecution is coming.  

The problem is one of worldviews, America is not a Christian nation.  True Christians are a small minority in the country.  Americans have rejected the Biblical worldview and have instead embraced a secular worldview.  The problems we face cannot be solved at the political or judicial level.  That only deals with the symptoms it does not go to the cause of the problem.  The problem is at the starting point people have.  They do not start with the Bible the Word of God, but start instead with secularism the word of man.  Starting from a faulty foundation they end up terribly wrong on issues such as same sex marriage.  Unless a Biblical worldview is recovered our nation will continue on the wrong track. 

Give Me That Me Centered Religion

"When you come to church, when you worship Him, you're not doing it for God really.  You're doing it for yourself, because that's what makes God happy."  
-Quote from Victoria Osteen, wife of Joel Osteen and co-pastor of Lakewood Church

Should I point out that women cannot be pastors?  Anyway Victoria Osteen does deserve credit for an accurate description of the Osteen's ministry.  It is all about the self and not about God.  In fact it is almost as if you yourself are god.  The main concern is that you are happy and feel good.  We certainly cannot be concerned about God and his holiness.  The great sin (I mean problem) is low self esteem.  

The ministry of Joel and Victoria Osteen is not true Christianity.  Dare I say that they are heretics?  They are false teachers proclaiming a false gospel.  The Bible says that if anyone preaches a different gospel let him be accursed (Galatians 1:8).  The Osteens proclaim a form of the prosperity gospel.  It is all about you and your happiness as well as having high self esteem. You must just think positive and the good life is yours.  

Of course this is in direct contradiction to the teaching of Jesus.  Jesus said that if you want to follow him you must take up your cross and deny your self.  As Bonhoeffer said Christ bids a man come and die.  Followers of Jesus are called to die to self while the Osteens tell their followers to focus on the self.  Of course the Osteens rarely mention Jesus or the cross.  Don't expect to hear anything about sin, judgment, holiness, wrath, or hell either.  These things just do not make us feel good.  

Unfortunately many Americans and others buy into the teaching of the Osteens.  They have thousands at their church and also sell millions of books.  They tickle people's ears and tell them what they want to hear.  Sadly many of those who are feeling good are on the road to hell.  Many in the modern church accept the Osteens as legitimate not seeing them as heretics to be rejected.  Joel Osteen is not a Christian pastor but simply a positive thinking guru.  I guess Victoria Osteen would be a co-positive thinking guru.  The lack of Biblical thinking and discernment allows false teachers like the Osteens to flourish in our modern society.