Next Sunday, the Lutheran church celebrates the 500-year anniversary of the Reformation when Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on Wittenberg’s church doors. He was hoping to initiate discussion about areas of church life and teaching that he felt needed to be addressed in order to re-align with Scripture. Oh, it started a discussion for sure. A series of phrases (in Latin) arose that became slogans of this world-changing movement. 

We will touch on them throughout the week for our Immersed-in-Jesus time. 

We will also give you a little taste of Luther along with the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit seemed to use to propel him along the path he took.

Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)

Unless I am convicted by Scipture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The phrase sola scriptura represents the belief that the Bible contains everything we need to know in order to be reconciled to God and live righteously. This idea elevates Scripture above all other authorities, including the church and Christian tradition. The Scriptures serve as the authority for faith and practice. This doesn’t mean that the Bible is the only place where truth is found, but it does mean that everything else we learn about God and His world should be interpreted in light of Scripture. The Bible gives us everything we need for our theology.

We step into this week celebrating You, Father, the true Father of the Reformation;

We celebrate You, Jesus, by whose blood we have reformation in hand for us;

We celebrate You, Holy Spirit,  who helps conform us to be like Jesus Christ our Lord;

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Sola Fide (Faith Alone)

The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.

For some years now I have read through the Bible twice every year. If you picture the Bible to be a mighty tree and every word a little branch, I have sheken every one of these branches because I wanted to know what it was and what it meant.

Romans 1:17

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Luther identified this verse as one of the key inspirations for his work, seeing in it (and others like Habakkuk 2:4) a powerful reminder that it is through faith in God’s grace – not through good works – that humans are made right before God.

Thus SOLA FIDE arose as a telling truth that faith in Jesus Christ alone is needed to be in good standing with God. 

We are not saved by our merits or declared righteous by our good works (Luther would later say that good works are not necessary for God, but are necessary for our neighbor – a.k.a love your neighbor). 

God grants salvation not because of the good things we do, and despite our sin. 

Humanity inherited from Adam a nature that is enslaved to sin. Because of this nature, we are naturally enemies of God. We need to be made alive (regenerated) so that we can even have faith in Christ, through faith alone. 

We can only stand before God by His grace as He mercifully attributes to us the righteousness of Jesus Christ and attributes to Him the consequences of our sins. 

Jesus’ life of perfect righteousness is counted as ours, and our records of sin and failure were counted to Jesus when He died on the cross.

Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)

God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.

Ephesians 2:8-10

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

This verse connects the God-given faith with the God-given grace, hammering home the point that life in God is a gift. Life with God comes in Jesus, not something we’ve earn through our own works or even alongside the faith as if both are needed; rather these works (a natural fruit of faith) become a testimony of our faith and relationship to God as Father.

Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)

If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.

 Matthew 11:29-30 

“Accept My teachings and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.”

Luther believed that centuries of church tradition had placed a heavy burden on the backs of believers, and pointing to verses like this one, he reminded Christians that the gospel of Christ is meant to free people from guilt and sin, a far cry from the burden that many had been laboring under for years, including Luther himself. God has given the ultimate revelation of Himself to us by sending Jesus Christ, (see Colossians 1:15). Only through God’s gracious self-revelation in Jesus do we come to a saving and transforming knowledge of God. Seeing Scripture (and Jesus, and God the Father Himself) through this lens changed Luther’s understanding of his heavenly Father tremendously.

The Priesthood of Believers

Let every man recognize what he is, and be certain that we are all equally priests that is, we have the same power in the word and in any sacrament whatever.

1 Peter 2:5

... like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

One of the most provocative and controversial beliefs at the time of the reformers was the notion that every Christian is considered part of the “priesthood,” standing contrary to the idea of a limited priesthood office championed by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Listen to author Ewald Plass describe that on behalf of Luther: In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit carefully avoids giving the name ‘sacerdos’ priest, to any of the apostles or to any other office. Rather he accepts this name to the baptized, or Christians, as their birthright and heredity name…none of us is born an apostle, preacher, teacher, pastor; but there all of us are born solely priests. Then we take some from among these born priest and call and elect them to these offices that they may discharge the duties of the office in the name of all of us.

E.M. Plass, What Luther Says (St Louis: Concordia Publ. House, 1959), 1140

Matthew 5:1-2

Jesus’ disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them.

John 14:26

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

The Priesthood of Believers

We cannot attain to the understanding of Scripture either by study or by intellect. Your first duty is to begin by prayer. Entreat the Lord to grant you, of His great mercy, the true understanding of His Word.

There is no other interpreter of the Word of God than the Author of this Word, as He Himself has said, "They shall be all taught of God" (John 6:45).

Hope for nothing from your own labors, from your own understanding: trust solely in God, and in the influence of His Spirit. Believe this on the word of a man who has experience.

“Discipleship is not limited to what you can comprehend--it must transcend all comprehension. Plunge into the deep waters beyond your own comprehension, and I will help you to comprehend even as I do. Bewilderment is the true comprehension. Not to know where you are going is the true knowledge. My comprehension transcends yours. Thus Abraham went forth from his father and not knowing whither he went. He trusted himself to my knowledge, and cared not for his own, and thus he took the right road and came to his journey's end. Behold, that is the way of the cross. You cannot find it yourself, so you must let me lead you as though you were a blind man. Wherefore it is not you, no man, no living creature, but I myself, who instruct you by my word and Spirit in the way you should go. Not the work which you choose, not the suffering you devise, but the road which is clean contrary to all that you choose or contrive or desire--that is the road you must take. To that I call you and in that you must be my disciple.” Luther, as quoted by Bonhoeffer, Cost of Discipleship, pp. 103-104

SOLI DEO GLORIA (Glory to God Alone)

Every occupation has its own honor before God. Ordinary work is a devine vocation or calling. In our daily work, no matter how important or mundane, we serve God by serving the neighbor and we also participate in God's on-going providence for the human race.

1 Corinthians 10:31

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Think about these two closely aligned thought:

1. Glory belongs to God alone.
2. God’s glory is the central motivation for salvation (not improving the lives of people—though that is a wonderful by product).

To make man central to the salvation focus runs the risk of become man-centered rather than God-centered.God is not a means to an end—He is the means and the end. The goal of all of life is to give glory to God alone. While Lutherans often spend significant time in Luther’s Catechism, there is value in others as well. In the Westminster Catechism, this topic is addressed right away: The chief purpose of human life is “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Everything is to point back to God, from the biggest decisions of life to the smallest choices in daily routines. As we draw this week to a close, it might be a good time to finish with this unusual, self-effacing remark from the namesake of our church:

The first thing I ask is that people should not make use of my name, and should not call themselves Lutherans but Christians. What is Luther? The teaching is not mine. Nor was I crucified for anyone.... How did I, poor stinking bag of maggots that I am, come to the point where people call the children of Christ by my evil name?

Sorry about that whole ‘Lutheran’ church name thing, Luther -- as you said many times, to God alone be the glory – in all things big and small.