5. Recovering the Gospel: Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation (1500s)

The Roman Catholic Church of the Middle Ages had buried the gospel of salvation by faith under centuries of traditions, unbiblical teachings, and institutional buildup. One of the most egregious examples was the prolific sale of indulgences, papers given in the name of the Pope that were said to reduce time in purgatory. Starting with Martin Luther, through the tumultuous period of the Reformation the simple gospel of justification by faith in Jesus was recovered and re-centered in the Protestant movement.

Scripture: Romans 1:17; 3:21-26; Ephesians 2:1-10

People: Martin Luther (1483-1546), John Calvin (1509-1564), Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556)

Concepts: Justification by Faith, Sola Scriptura

“Night and day I pondered…Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which, through grace and sheer mercy, God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise.”[1] – Martin Luther, after wrestling with Romans 1:17

“We do not become righteous by doing righteous deeds, but by having been made righteous, we do righteous deeds.”[2] – Martin Luther

Martin Luther nails his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, protesting the sale of indulgences, October 31st, 1517

“Justification is the main hinge on which salvation turns.” – John Calvin

“In the midst of life we are in death, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection.” – Thomas Cranmer

Application question: When you arrive at the gates of heaven, why should you be let in?

[1] Ibid.

[2] Michael Reeves and Tim Chester, Why the Reformation Still Matters (Wheaton: Crossway, 2016) p?