Here is a National Geographic video providing a brief overview of the Reformation. October 31 marks Reformation Day in 1517, when the German monk Martin Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses against Roman Catholicism. This document questioned practices and assertions within the Catholic faith that lacked scriptural backing.
I have been studying the Bible for nearly three decades now. Luther’s effort that day deserves recognition, yet I feel uneasy that the Christian faith did not return to fully recover the Scripture’s true teaching. Many denominations emerged from the Reformation. Today the situation is far worse, shifting toward “to each his own.” Biblical passages have become mere springboards for most preachers, who overlook the original intent and context of the Bible.
Although the Christianity of Luther’s era cannot be entirely blamed, Luther and his peers had to resist Catholic offensives. But in later periods, the succeeding former pillars of Christianity, having greater command over their conditions, appeared lost in the woods. The Christian faith has not been fully restored; it differs from the faith of the first-century church.
Yet, the Word of God is living and active. Anyone who sincerely seeks to study the Scripture will find the true teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles, but the Bible needed to be understandable to people. Hence, one other major contribution of Luther in aid of restoring the Christian faith has to be his work translating the Bible from the lesser-known Latin language to the common languages of the people of his era: namely, German, English, and French.
Today we have more than enough English translations of the Bible, not to mention many other languages of the world, so no one should be excused from learning the truth. Though a little understanding of proper exegesis (the science or discipline in the interpretation of biblical text) would certainly be needed, which I believe should be taught to everyone who sincerely seeks to follow Jesus Christ. It is an essential part of discipleship.
I beg to disagree with the claim by some that it’s fine for 21st-century Christianity to be a bit different from that of the first. Simply because the Gospel message is for all time, it cannot be modified or altered.
The apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:4-6 said,
There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call- one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
How then could Christianity have allowed so many denominations, diverse teachings, and interpretations?
Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 14:33, Paul made clear and said: “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints.” Can we honestly say Christianity henceforth after the Reformation Day has unified teaching about the truth?
Sorry to say that it appears even after more than 500 years later, the Reformation has gone wrong. The only way for the truthful teaching of the Scripture to be restored rests on our faithfulness to Scripture alone.
A renewed interest has emerged among Christians aiming to recover Reformation teachings. They hope to draw from creeds and confessions, which the Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 31.3, acknowledges may err—and many have.
“All synods or councils since the apostles’ times, whether general or particular, may err; and many have erred. Therefore they are not to be made the rule of faith, or practice; but to be used as a help in both.” (WCF 31.3)
It is therefore my prayer that God would raise more and more Bible-seeking believers. It is one thing to believe and another to believe the truths of the Scripture.
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