Title: Only by Faith (Reformation)
Contents
October 31st is Reformation Day.
The Reformation was a reform movement that returned to the original form of Christianity when Christianity, which began in the early church, was transformed into a completely different aspect of Catholicism in the Middle Ages.
On October 31, 1517, a single document (95 Articles) affixed to the main gate of Wittenberg Cathedral was the beginning of the Reformation. The document was written by Martin Luther (1483-1546) to denounce the wrong theology and beliefs of the time and to testify to the truth of the Bible.
Martin Luther was a agonizing priest. Although he confessed several times a day, he could not wash away the guilt that came from deep within him and his spirit. That guilt always made Luther uneasy, and he tried to achieve salvation through good deeds and asceticism. However, he was conflicted with the appearance of the Roman Catholic Church at the time of the fall (the papal inerrancy, the worship of the Virgin, the purgatory theory - trying to achieve salvation through offerings, etc.) The Bible was Romans 1: 17.
In Romans 1:17, it is confirmed that salvation comes only through faith. This was different from the teachings of the Pope at the time. Even today, there is a tendency to think of salvation as the result of faith and works. However, the only way to salvation is to receive and believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior. We cannot achieve salvation through our efforts and merits, and good deeds are only outward evidence that is ultimately revealed as a result of our faith. That is why salvation through faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8).
- The Four Principles of the Reformation -
1. Only the Bible (Sola Scriptura),
2. Sola Fide
3. Grace alone (Sola Gratia),
4. Priesthood of all believers
The Reformation, which started when Luther posted the 95 Articles of Injustice of Roman Catholicism on the gate of Wittenberg Cathedral, spread throughout Germany and produced many reformers to restore the church today. John Calvin ignited the fire of the Reformation that returned to the Word by acknowledging that only the Bible is the final authority of interpretation through theological establishment.