Reformation Sunday- Justification by Faith- Romans 3:28

On the last Sunday in October, we commemorate the 1517 posting of Luther’s 95 theses against corruption and for sincere faith. The Reformation of the late medieval Church was and remains significant, both for world history and for Christianity. For those of us who consider ourselves Lutheran, Protestant, or generally Evangelical, this commemoration points to our basic Scriptural convictions.

The Reformation involved diverse issues, but the central theological point is in the Epistle reading from Romans 3:19-28. In particular, the Apostle Paul says in Romans 3:28, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." This verse is a concise statement of the message of the New Testament recovered at the Reformation.  The Gospel does not deny the true purpose of the Law or the desirability of good deeds. However, the core message concerns God’s forgiving and saving grace made available through faith in the unique work of Jesus Christ. Christians can and should value many aspects of our religious heritage, but we must always remain focused on Jesus Christ. By grace through faith in Christ, we are justified, or set right with God.

We are not saved by obtaining papers of indulgence. We are not saved by the papacy or by any particular ecclesiastical organization. We aren’t saved by the beauty of our forms of worship or the quality of our music. And as important as our good deeds are as a sincere fruit of faith, we are certainly not saved by our own efforts or goodness.

We are only forgiven, set right with almighty God, and saved from our fallen condition by Jesus Christ, God's unique Son, the eternal Word made flesh. Only Christ crucified and risen can give us the grace we need. Only belief and trust in Jesus Christ bring us wisdom, strength, and guidance for living a Christian life and being witnesses for Him in the world. Both Christian individuals and groups always need to be reformed in light of the Gospel.  We always need to hear and apply the message of justification by grace through faith. Daily, weekly, and yearly, we need to re-focus on Scripture and re-apply its message about our Lord Jesus Christ, both to the Christian Church and to our individual lives.