Title: Faith alone (2)/ Galatians 2:20, 21
Content: Only Faith (2)
Galatians 2:20, 21
The great church historian Philip Sharpe said in his book, "The Reformation is the greatest event in history that must be explained after the introduction to Christianity. It marks the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the modern era." The significance was explained.
Catholic historical theologian Professor Sungtae Kim said in the article, "The church has always needed reform in the flow of history ('Ecclesia semper reformanda'). This is an axiom in the history of the church. There was a cry for reform and a movement of renewal from within,” he said, emphasizing that the need for church reform is always present in the church on earth. He also mentioned about the Reformation of the 16th century, "In the history of the church, the church reform movement that had the greatest impact on the Christian world was the Reformation in the 16th century. This event itself is an expression of the desire for church renewal." I did.
While discussing the historical reflection and lessons of the Reformation, Professor Kim said, "The secularization of the church at the end of the Middle Ages became a major cause of the Reformation. "He said.
There are many contributions and results of the Reformation, but if I can say only three of them, it is the doctrine of Lee Shin-deuk, the Bible that became a book for all, and the priesthood of all.
1. Doctrine of Lee Shin-deuk
The principle of faith-based righteousness (以信得-righteousness) or justification-by-law is the teaching that we are justified through faith. Of course, even faith is a gift from God, but through faith we make God's salvation our own. Faith itself is not equal to merit. You do not gain salvation through the 'merit' of faith. God has given us grace and salvation, so that we can receive it through the hands of faith.
Professor Robinson of Columbia Theological Seminary said in his book (1962) that the purpose of the Reformers was to glorify Christ and the gospel of God's grace in him. According to him, the Reformation was the revival of Augustineism and the rediscovery of God. Professor Robinson quoted Sharp as saying, "The Reformation was an event that plunged us deeper into the meaning of the gospel than Augustine did." The Reformation proclaimed Christ sufficient for all things. Because the Reformation is Jesus Christ clothed with His gospel.
According to Professor Robinson, the Reformation has only one doctrine. "Christ is our righteousness!" And the Reformation is a theological revival. The Reformation testified to the biblical theology, the life of the church. The Reformation also rediscovered the profound meaning of the proclamation of the Word. Above all, through the evidence of the Reformation, the 16th century heard the voice of God.
The Lord has given us faith, and because of that faith, we have come to know and believe in God's love, mercy, mercy, grace, and grace. We received Jesus in our hearts 'through faith' and received forgiveness of sins and the assurance of salvation. Therefore, the doctrine of justification by faith rediscovered by the Reformation is a very valuable truth.
Then, what characteristics appear in the lives of those who have been saved by faith? They live with three things.
1) We live with the eyes of faith looking at the cross.
Those who are saved by faith live their lives looking only at the Lord who was crucified. In Numbers 21, Israel was bitten by a fiery serpent while complaining against God and Bond in the wilderness. At this time, Moses made a serpent out of bronze and put it on a pole. He said that anyone who was bitten by a fiery serpent would live if he looked at the bronze serpent. All who believed Moses and looked at the bronze serpent lived.
Likewise, faith is the eyes of those who have been bitten by the fiery serpent of the world's sins, looking at the crucified Lord of faith. But strangely, a person who has these eyes of faith can see the world of God with those eyes even while living in this world. In the midst of despair, he can have hope without being discouraged. He can see the future blessings of God even in the midst of poverty and the eternal glory of God in the midst of disappointment. Let's see God's love, God's mercy, and God's grace through these eyes of faith.
2) We live with the hand of faith that holds only Jesus.
Faith has a grasping hand. The father-in-law Ruth caught her mother-in-law Ruth (Ruth 1:16). A woman who had been bleeding for 12 years came to Jesus, touched her clothes, and was healed (Mark 5:28). The woman must have grabbed Jesus' clothes. In this way, Christians who have been saved through faith are those who always hold on to the Lord. This kind of life is a life that is directly connected with Jesus (John 15:5). Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. I am in Jesus, and Jesus is in me (John 14:20).
We must hold on to the Lord with the hands of faith. With the hands of faith, we receive grace from the Lord, we receive love, and we receive blessings. With the hands of faith, we treat others, give alms, serve, serve, and toil.
3) We live with the feet of faith preaching Jesus.
A believer who has been justified by faith is a person who has feet to preach diligently. The Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well of Jacob in Suga City believed in Jesus and first entered the city of Samaria and preached that Jesus was the Messiah (John 4:39).
In Romans 10:15, the feet diligent in evangelism are called "beautiful feet of those who bring good news." Wherever these feet go, the seeds of the gospel are sown, the good news is preached, joy arises in people's hearts, and seeds of hope and new hope are borne.
2. The great contribution of the Reformation was to allow Manmin to have the Bible.
Before the Reformation, no one could own or see the Bible. Only priests of the Holy See had access to the Bible. So, in the 14th century, Wycliffe of England, on the charge of translating the Bible from Latin into English and having people read it, dug up a tomb after his death, burned his bones, and threw their ashes into the sea. As such, before the Reformation, the Bible was not an open book for all. The Bible was reserved for some clergy and scholars.
But what does the Bible say? We teach and command to meditate on these words of the Bible day and night (Psalm 1:2; Jos 1:8). God commanded the Israelites to teach their children diligently with these words (Deuteronomy 6:7). Also, the Bible is the precious food of life given to us believers (1 Peter 2:2). The word of God is spiritual manna (1 Corinthians 10:3) and is spiritual food. But how is it that these foods are not distributed to everyone and only the clergy are monopolized?
The Reformation made the Bible a book for all. The Bible has been translated and published as a book for all. Luther and Melangton translated the Bible into German so that the German people could read the Bible in their own language. The Bible is still being translated. A persistent bestseller, the Bible has been translated into many dialects. Is that all? The influence the Bible has had on this world is immense.
President Cleveland of the United States said, "I was able to become President of the United States because the phrase in the Bible, 'Sin is death,' turned me away from debauchery."
Lincoln also said that the Bible is the greatest gift given to mankind since the creation of the world. George Washington said that without God and the Bible, you cannot rule the world rightly.
Victor Hugo, who wrote , said, England has two books, one of Shakespeare's and the other of the Bible. He said that Shakespeare's works were written by England, and the Bible was the book that made England.
Queen Victoria of England said, "England is a country that stands on the Bible", and the treasure of England is only the Bible. And Luther said, The Bible is like milk to a child and hard rice to an adult.
When we study these verses, we should try not to cling to 'difficult passages' but to grasp the verses we understand first, remember them well, and apply them to our lives. We do not know how precious and beautiful privilege it is to have the Bible. Therefore, you should focus your heart on studying, realizing, and putting these words into practice.
3. The Reformation spread the teaching of the priesthood of all men.
The teaching that all believers are priests before God is an important contribution to the Reformation. When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the Most Holy of the Temple was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). From then on, any believer could come directly to God without the blood of a sacrifice or the mediation of a priest.
Also, Jesus taught each of us to pray on our own (Matthew 7:7) and promised that if we ask anything in the name of the Lord, he will answer us (John 15:16). God wanted to communicate directly with humans (Isaiah 1:18).
However, Catholicism still insists on the 7 sacraments, and confessions are made through the priest (bride). Prayer is a conversation with God and the spiritual breath of the saints. How can we do it through a priest?
This world is run by three forces. History is run by a thinking head, a working hand, and a praying mouth. In particular, the Holy Spirit does many things through praying saints. Therefore, the Reformers prayed a lot. Luther said, "If you are busy, pray more," and he prayed for more than three hours every day.
The Reformation rediscovered and proclaimed the truth of Lee Shin-deuk. The Reformation made it possible for all to have free access to the Bible. Also, the Reformation taught the Bible truth that all believers are priests. We must inherit the tradition and spirit of the Reformation.