As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
October 31st is one of my favorite days of the year! The reason I take joy in it is not because I love visiting haunted houses, corn mazes or costume parties.
When I see a reference to the evil and horror that our culture celebrates on that day, I have to admit—it does draw me in. But not for the reasons one might expect. I do not relish the “fear of death,” or the “bondage” that accompanies it (Heb. 2:15).
“The Reformation didn’t ‘really say’ there were five solas. …Earlier Lutheran attempts at marketing only offered three: Scripture alone, grace alone, and faith alone. …When Philip Schaff wrote his 1845 book The Principle of Protestantism, he only had two.” - Desiring God
“As we remember the impact of the Protestant Reformation this October, you can stream Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer for free on Ligonier’s YouTube channel.” - Ligonier
As we continue to follow the events of the Reformation, 500 years later, we would be remiss if we failed to recall that half of a millennium has now passed since the dawn of the modern era of Bible translation. It began officially this month in 1522 with the release of the September Testament—the New Testament translated by Dr. Martin Luther into a language that he helped to form in Germany.
Read the series.
Those who love holding a Bible in their hands—which they can read in their own language—should be aware of and grateful for the monumental importance of Dr. Martin Luther’s 10-month stay at the Wartburg Castle in 1521 and 1522.
It was during this time that Luther first translated the New Testament into German—in just 11 weeks! In so doing, he literally began the modern era of Bible translation.
Read the series.
Why should we praise God—or, for that matter, even care—that Dr. Martin Luther has triumphantly “driven the devil away with ink”?1
“They are particularly significant today because even professing evangelicals, to say nothing of the culture around us, are being tempted to abandon the gospel. Therefore, the church must recognize the dire need of not only defending the five solas but also celebrating them.” - Ligonier
“One doctrine, justification by faith alone, is rightly called the doctrine by which the Church stands or falls. It was this doctrine that Martin Luther was, ultimately, being asked to recant but could not…. five hundred years later, it is still a worthy hill and mountain to stand upon” - Ref21
“Reformation Sunday is an opportunity to affirm our doctrinal convictions and to praise God for His ongoing reformation in the Church. The Alliance wants to promote your event to our members.” - Ref21
“Although it is decidedly true that they championed a particular understanding of grace and faith that took issue with their Roman Catholic counterparts, … they assumed the natural law as a part of the fabric of the created order and therein maintained continuity with those across the Reformation divide.” - Public Discourse
Discussion