Change The World Through Your One Life!

 500 years ago today, a moment took place that forever changed the course of human (and church) history. One man took a stand which, as he put it, he couldn't do otherwise. One man dared to stand with God, thus putting himself against establishment government and religiosity. One man simply dared to believe God and, for him, that was enough. That man was a young monk named Martin Luther. 

 He lived at a time where average people didn't question church or governing authority publicly. Most people kept their views largely to themselves for, if they dared to speak out against the establishment, they were most likely to lose their life. So, for him to step out and publicly declare that the accepted ruling religion and leaders were in error was shocking. Yet it emboldened others to do the same and Christian history was never the same again. God was moving through ordinary people, causing an extraordinary revolution of faith to take place that we are still feeling the effects of today. 

 In that time, the Catholic faith was the predominant religion of the time. And people just accepted what Rome said as being true. And, if they did disagree, they went along with what the Pope and the Church because they feared the consequences if they didn't. People were in bondage to a system often without knowing it. 

 Along comes Luther who, as a young monk on an intense spiritual journey himself, begins to challenge the system and claims that the Church just might be wrong. It was radical to say the least. For years, Martin had struggled to reconcile his sin with a forgiving God. Driven by a desire to earn God's favor, he had gone to such extremes as to whip himself into physical submission to the will of God, thinking that somehow this kind of "devotion" helped one become more holy and would allow one into gracious standing with a righteous and judging God. Over time, however, he had begun to read the Bible in greater depth and stumbled upon a startling statement: "The just shall live by faith" (Heb. 10:38). He realized that the Christian life isn't about performance of religious obligations, perfecting personal devotion, striving for stricter adherence to rules and earning points with God, but rather in simple belief and faith trusting a Savior who had already fulfilled all of the law and had sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for sinful mankind, thus making a way for underserving people to boldly enter into the pleasure and forgiveness of God. Luther's mind was about to explode - this was the match that ignited his burning desire to share the truth of the authority of God's Word. The Catholics had gotten salvation all wrong and people needed to know. 

 Luther started writing books and preaching this new Gospel in his messages to his congregation and seeing it produce spiritual freedom in the listeners. He was convinced that this was a soul-freeing truth that had the power to assure the doubting one of their standing before God. He also began incorporating this newly-revealed truth into the music of his church, writing hymns for his church's services and incorporating congregational singing which, up to that point, had been mostly nonexistent. Of His many beautiful hymns, two continue to be loved throughout the centuries: "Away In A Manger" and "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." 

 Luther's stand upset the established Church all the way to Rome, taking him in front of many authorities who tried to shut up the bold priest. He continued to stand with God, enduring a lengthy imprisonment during which he did a Bible translation into the native German language so that the average person could read God's Word for themselves instead of relying on the accepted Latin text used by the Catholics. 

Starting with his nailing of his 95 Thesis against the Catholic Church on October 31, 1517, Luther shook up the religious world, and started what we now know as the Protestant Reformation. While he never intended to break away from the Catholic Church - only to reform it - a separation ensued nonetheless which would forever change the course of religious history. 

 From one man's bold willingness to step out in faith against the cultural norm and to challenge the religious system for the sake of God's truth and the Gospel, sprang a movement that extended over to a New World a century later when a group of persecuted believers who held many of the similar views which Luther had put forth one hundred years earlier landed in Massachusetts and began what we call the Plymouth Colony. It is now accepted reality by many that the modern Christian church and faith would not be what it is today without Luther's stand. The freedom to read the Bible for oneself, the ability to join in congregational worship, the access to many of the writings which were subsequently published as a result of Luther and other "reformers" speaking out against doctrinal error, would not ours today had one man not dared to take a stand. 

 God may not call you to speak out in such a public way as did Martin Luther, but you are one person and you can make a difference in this world when you willingly step out in faith toward God's plans for your life. By using your gifts and the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, you just may be called to places of influence for God that will blow your mind. God sometimes only needs one yielded person to begin a big work...and that person just could be you!



*For more information about Martin Luther, I'd highly recommend watching the following movie about his life:  "Luther" (starring Joseph Fiennes, 2003)