“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
2 Timothy 3:16
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
2 Peter 1:20-21
October 31, 2017 marks the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. On that date the Catholic priest Martin Luther was reported to have nailed his list of 95 theses or arguments against the Catholic Church to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. This started the reformation movement that started in Germany and spread worldwide. These reformations lead to the development of all of the protestant religious denominations that we have today. All true Protestants are firm in the belief that we are saved by grace through our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
Catholicism had a strangle hold on what people were told about the contents of the Bible. The Bible was only permitted in Latin and all masses or church services were performed in Latin. This made it possible to control the people by selectively sharing what the Bible said. Most people could not read or understand Latin, so they had to blindly trust the priest and his explanation of the text. Luther fixed this problem by translating the New Testament into German and publishing it in 1522. This was followed closely by Wycliffe’s English version, completed by Coverdale, and published in 1535.
When people could finally read, or at least hear the Bible in their own language, they started to understand scripture. They didn’t need a priest to interpret. They could understand and study the scriptures as God intended. Through Biblical scripture we are able to know what God wants. The way God thinks is revealed. This is the start of growing a personal relationship with our God. Scripture coupled with prayer is where it all starts. Then after accepting Christ, you add in obedience, and you end up with that close personal relationship with the creator of everything – the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Reformation movement that started on October 31, 1517 was a profoundly important step in providing the general public with the knowledge, wisdom and truth within the Bible. It’s a moment in time that should be celebrated and remembered. Praise the Lord for the reformers and their reformation movement. Next month, celebrate with me and Christians everywhere, as we commemorate the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation!