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AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION Post tenebras lux After darkness, light October 31, 1517 Reformation Day October 31, 2017 500 th Anniversary
PURPOSE OF THIS LESSON 1. Provide an understanding of the Protestant Reformation 2. Prepare you for a 5-sermon series on the FIVE SOLAS Sola Gratia Sola Fide Solus Christos Sola Scriptura Soli Deo Gloria Page 3
What was the Protestant Reformation? Protest that turned into a revolt and a complete break from the Roman Catholic Church Basically, the Reformers had two major issues with the Roman Catholic Church: 1. Authority in matters of salvation rests with Scripture alone 2. Salvation is clearly defined and communicated in Scripture THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION WAS A RECOVERY OF THE GOSPEL Page 4
AREAS OF DOCTRINAL AGREEMENT WITH ROMAN CATHOLICISM Infallibility and inerrancy of Scripture Belief in the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God Same creator God and same concept of God (same attributes) Triune nature of God Hypostatic union (Jesus is 100% man and 100% God) Faith in Jesus as LORD and Savior Concept of sin and that sin has consequences God s grace is necessary for salvation Heaven and hell A common history especially the early church and first several hundred years of the church Page 5
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH DOMINATED EUROPE Roman Catholic Church was the biggest business in all of Europe Economic power Social power Political power Roman Catholic Church was THE church of all Europe Authority Spiritual power and control Page 6
Fundamental to understanding the Roman Catholic Church: 1. Apostolic Succession 2. Three-Legged Stool of Roman Catholicism Magesterium The Teaching Authority of the Church Deposit of Faith - The Two Sources for Divine Revelation o Divine Scripture o Divine Tradition 3. Infallibility 4. Protection and gift of the Holy Spirit 5. Mystical Body of Christ 6. Canon of Scripture contains Apocrypha Page 7
CHURCH IS IN TOTAL CONTROL Authority over Scripture and Tradition Definer / Keeper / Owner of Tradition Access to Scripture (in Pre-Reformation times) Interpretation and teaching of Scripture and Tradition Control over all matters of salvation Access to Sacraments Control over relics, indulgences and Treasury of Merits Ex-communication Power over Purgatory Page 8
ALONG COMES A MONK - MARTIN LUTHER Martin Luther grew up in Germany Had intended to become a lawyer A frightening episode with lightening drove him to becoming a monk As a monk, Luther was still eaten up with guilt, depression, anxiety and fear Luther became a monk among monks The one thing the Catholic Church did well was instill a fear of God in people. Luther gets to go on a pilgrimage to Rome Page 9
SO WHAT IS A MONK TO DO? So what is a monk to do to make himself presentable to God? How do I stand before a holy God and satisfy His judgment of me? Let me introduce you to some specific practices in the Roman Catholic Church: 1. Merits / Treasury of Merits 2. Indulgences 3. Relics Page 10
Video Clip #1 Pilgrimage to Rome Page 11
Perfectly Righteous By-Pass Purgatory Heaven State of Sanctifying Grace Sins Merits Purgatory After Purified Apostasy No faith State of Mortal Sin Hell Page 12
Video Clip #2 Luther Preaching and Teaching Page 13
LUTHER S KEY QUESTIONS How can I be righteous before a holy God? What must I do to be saved? How do I escape hell and the wrath of God? How do I gain access to Heaven? Correct, Biblical answers to these questions are why the Reformation is important to us today! Page 14
BEFORE-SCRIPTURE LUTHER Before Luther was exposed to the Scriptures: Luther had a good understanding that he was a sinner and that God was holy and righteous Had come to see God as threatening and brutally cruel, a demanding judge. Luther had come to almost hate God. There was nothing but fear of God. Luther did not think he could DO enough to please and satisfy God (futility) Saw he was always going to fall short (hopelessness) Page 15
A LIGHT GOES OFF IN LUTHER ROMANS 1:17 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, The righteous shall live by faith. the Latin word justificare the Greek word dikaiosune to make unrighteous people righteous to count, or declare, a person as righteous what Luther called a justitia alienum an alien righteousness; think imputed righteousness Page 16
Latin Versus Original Greek the Latin penitentiam agite the Latin penetentio; poena to do penance punishment Do penance versus Repent the Greek metanoia ; metanoeite matnoeo to change the mind Page 17
AFTER-SCRIPTURE LUTHER After Luther was exposed to the Scriptures: Scripture did not just teach to fear God, but that God is loving and gracious and forgiving. Luther began to see a more complete picture of God. The Bible did not teach a works righteousness (be good, be better, establish our own righteousness though works, earn God s favor). Not about what you have to do, but what God has done for you. Luther s whole motivation had changed from trying to satisfy God to responding to God s love and grace. Over the next few years, Luther began a journey in which the rest of his life was devoted to defending and preaching and writing about this fundamental Gospel message. Page 18
Martin Luther: The doctrine of justification by faith alone is the article by which the church stands or falls. Page 19
John Calvin: Refers to justification as the main hinge upon which religion turns. It consists in remission of sins and the imputation of Christ s righteousness. Page 20
Video Clip #3 Father John Tetzel and Martin Luther and The 95 Theses Page 21
The Door at Wittenberg s All Saints Church (or Castle Church) where Luther nailed the 95 Theses The current doors are made of bronze and are engraved with all ninety-five theses. Page 22
LUTHER S 95 THESES CHALLENGED Luther directly challenged: The authority of the Pope and the Church Practice of indulgences abuse for money bestowal of saving graces and imposing these on God proposed power of the Pope over Purgatory welfare of the sinner at stake Page 23
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Protestant View of Justification Born Live Die Born in Sin Sanctification Glorification BORN AGAIN Justified by Grace Alone through Faith Alone in Christ Alone More Christ-like Serve God Do good deeds Produce good fruit True Saving Faith Page 25
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Video Clip #4 Luther s Trial at the Diet of Worms Page 34
Wartburg Castle Page 35
Impacts of Martin Luther 1. Established Scripture as primary authority 2. Re-awoke the Gospel and justification by faith 3. Translated Bible from Latin / Greek into German and caused it to be translated into other languages 4. Used hymns to bring energy / life into church services 5. Caused mass to be performed in German (not just Latin) 6. Emphasized the importance of sermons in teaching Scripture 7. Created two versions of church catechisms to simplify Biblical teachings, which he richly illustrated with pictures (Larger Catechism and Smaller Catechism), which have guided not just Lutherans but many others since 8. Leader in establishing right for pastors to marry and have families 9. Was the original best-selling author ; during his life he wrote about 25% of all books published in Europe; about 130 books in total Page 36
Impacts of Martin Luther 10. Inspired the other Reformation leaders throughout Europe 11. Wrote hymns ( A Mighty Fortress ) 12. Inspired parents to teach the Bible to their children 13. Initiated the formal education of church pastors to ensure the Gospel was properly proclaimed 14. Emphasized and promoted the education of females; also worked with Argula von Grumbach female Reformation author and debater 15. Initiated a whole new world order where the church was no longer the political power, but sovereign states emerged 16. Caused some reforms within the Catholic Church 17. In 1934, while on a trip in Germany, a young black pastor from Atlanta was inspired to change his name and his son s name from Michael King to Martin Luther King, Sr. and Jr. 18. Forerunner to using the power of media as a check on government 19. Set in motion things that would lead to democracy as well as public school systems Page 37
THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION GAINS MOMENTUM Catholic Church is outwardly rejected God s providential hand at work; right men at the right place and at the right time Reformers work throughout Europe William Tyndale (England) Translated the Bible into English I defy the pope and all of his laws! If God spares my life, it will not be many years before I will cause every boy who works on a farm plowing fields to know more of the Scriptures than the pope does! Burned at the stake in 1536 John Calvin (Switzerland, France) Huldrych Zwingli (Switzerland) John Knox (Scotland) Page 38
WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION? 1. An awakening to the true Gospel message; a recovery of the Gospel 2. Doctrine of justification by faith caused people to see God in a whole new light a God of love and grace 3. The Bible authority of Scripture was re-established was translated into common languages copies of Bible were printed and made available to people Bible commentaries written Bible was read and studied by people 4. The church became viewed as subservient to Scripture, not vice versa. 5. Our closed fist doctrines that we proclaim and believe today originated with the Reformation. Page 39
WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION? 6. Evangelism messages were preached 7. Modern missions movements began 8. Congregational singing restored 9. Jesus seen as only Mediator to God the Father 10. View of Sacraments changed Reduced to two (baptism and Lord s Supper) No saving power within their substance or administering 11. Seminaries formed 12. Society changed Protestant work ethic social enlightenment impacted art, science, government eventually was the foundation upon which American democracy was formed Page 40
Historical Look at Churches Early Independent Churches Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic - - - - - Protestants Lutherans Many Other Denominations Church of England Reformed Methodist Presbyterian Puritans Baptist Page 41
A RISK WORTH TAKING Over the next few years, Luther and the other Reformers began a journey in which the rest of their lives were devoted to defending and preaching and writing about this fundamental Gospel message. The Reformers risked their very lives and some paid with their lives. WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS? FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL Page 42
Martin Luther: And this is the confidence that Christians have and our real joy of conscience, that by our faith our sins become no longer ours but Christ s upon whom God placed the sins of all of us. He took upon himself our sins All the righteousness of Christ becomes ours he spreads his cloak and covers us. Page 43
Or as Paul wrote about the imputed righteous of Jesus Christ : 2 Corinthians 5:21 (The Great Exchange) For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Page 44
NO HOPE OF ECCLESIASTIC UNION Catholics affirm an infallible teaching Magesterium, which is contrary to the Protestant principle of Sola Scriptura Too many fundamental anti-biblical doctrines proclaimed within the Catholic faith Catholics have proclaimed many of their beliefs ex cathedra (dogmatic) and are therefore irrevocable; they are established permanently Page 45
MAJOR DIFFERENCE rests in this: Thus saith the LORD versus Thus saith the pope Page 46
The question of the reality of a personal God, or of Christology, divides believers from unbelievers, Christians from non-christians. The question of the authority of Scripture divides sound teaching and good theology from false teaching and bad theology. (well-known Reformed theologian Dr. Harold O. J. Brown) Page 47
Why Is It Important to Understand the Five Solas? V Represent and summarize fundamental Biblical doctrinal beliefs V Summarize the historical beliefs of our Protestant Christian faith V Depict the heart of the Gospel V Bring us joy, peace, assurance, blessing and clarity when we truly grasp them Page 48
FIVE SOLAS Sola Scriptura Sola Gratia Sola Fide Solus Christos Soli Deo Gloria SOLA = ALONE Page 49
Sola Gratia Sola Fide Solus Christos Soli Deo Gloria Romans 5:2 2 Through him [Jesus Christ alone] we have also obtained access by faith [faith alone] into this grace [God s grace alone] in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God [for God s glory alone].