Reformation Day, as we know it, is misleading. It creates the impression that the Reformation was about "cleaning up" the church. It wasnt. There were moral reform movements about in the late middle ages and early 16th century but the Reformation wasnt one of them. The Reformation was a theological event that was intended to have moral consequences, but it wasnt first of all about moral self-improvement and tidying the ecclesiastical house. Beware all the various Reform movements in our churches today that want to turn the Reformation into moral renewal (and thats most of them). Beware when folk invoke a "new" Reformation who dont understand the old one. Beware when folk call for a Reformation that requires a repudiation of the first Reformation. Those movements abound.
Reformation Day, as we know it, perpetuates the pietist myth that the Reformation happened suddenly and in one-fell-swoop of religious experience (the so-called Turmerlebnis). It wasnt and it didnt. The Reformation doctrines developed gradually between 1513-21. In succession, and with fits and starts, Luther gradually realized the great Reformation solas. There are some Reformation solas with which were not all familiar. Luthers first breakthrough happened during his lectures on the Psalms when he realized that Scripture teaches that were not just a little sinful but that were completely sinful, i.e., that the effects of sin are radical and affect every faculty. Were not able to "do our part" or to "do what lies within us" toward justification because, as a consequence of the fall, all that lies "within us" is sin and death. Therefore the first Reformation sola was "solely unable." This is the essential assumption behind sola gratia, the claim that justification is by grace alone. Grace, is no longer to be reckoned a sort of medicinal stuff with which we are injected, with which we cooperate toward eventual justification. Luther came to understand that grace is Gods attitude of favor toward sinners. Grace isnt something with which we are infused. Rather, God is gracious toward us. He shows us favor. He gives to us what we do not deserve: righteousness and life.
Only then did Luther realize, as he next lectured through Romans that it was only by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ that we are justified. The entire medieval system was about interior moral renewal. The Reformation is that the gospel is outside of us. The Gospel is that Christ has done it all for us. Justification is solely on the ground of imputed righteousness.
During his next two sets of lectures in Galatians and Hebrews Luther gradually realized that the medieval definition of faith as "formed by love" (fides formata caritate) is false and a misreading of Gal 5. Faith doesnt justify because it produces sanctity (holiness) in internal moral renewal. Faith justifies because it apprehends Christ and his obedience and death for us (pro nobis). This is solus Christus. Faith is an open, empty hand. Faith is a beggar. Faith looks outside of itself and ones self to Christ. Faith has no power except Christ its object. Faith is receiving and resting on Christ and his finished work for sinners. Faith is a certain knowledge and a hearty trust in Christ and his gospel. Thats sola fide.
With these breakthrough conclusions came others. During this period Luther came to a new hermeneutic. Where much of the patristic and all of the medieval church had read the Bible to contain two kinds of law, old and new, Luther came to see that the Bible had throughout two kinds of words: law (do) and gospel (done). The gospel is not: here is more grace so you can keep the law. The gospel is not: Christ will approve of you if you do your part. The gospel is: Christ has done it. This turn to the law/gospel hermeneutic was a foundation stone of the entire Reformation and it was adopted by all the Protestant churches and confessions Reformed and Lutheran. One of the great tragedies is that today there are congregations that will celebrate Reformation Day or who celebrate a nearby Reformation Sunday who will look you straight in the eye and tell you that the Reformed dont use a law/gospel hermeneutic.
Another global change that occurred at the same time is the turn to Scripture as the magisterial and unique authority for faith and life (sola scriptura. Theres no one point at which this view developed, but its certainly symbolized by Luthers stand for the sole and unique magisterial authority of Scripture at the Diet of Worms in 1521.) http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/2010/04/why-i-chose-reformation500-theme.html
That is really powerful!!!
Thank you for posting that bb.
Thanks for a great post boatbums.
What FRomans oppose is a caracture of Luther.
They would do well to read your post.