Reformation 500 - The Anniversary of Martin Luther's 95 Thesis

To reform something is "to amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults or abuses." (Websters dictionary) October 31, 1517 is the day remembered when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis - or reforms - to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. His desire for discussion and change of a few major issues in the Roman Catholic Church sparked a "fire" across Europe, and now the world, that has led many to faith in Christ alone. 

Today marks the 500th anniversary of that event. As I was reading this morning and thinking about what it means to us now; the song Boldly I Approach by Rend Collective came to my mind. We now have access to God's Word, the Bible, in a way unheard of ever before in history! We can approach God, through the Bible or prayer, on our own. We don't need anyone else to do it for us. Jesus broke those barriers when He died on the cross and rose again to life! I'm so grateful for the continued love Jesus has for us, His people. 

May we, today, remember the cost Christ paid so that we don't (because we can't) have to earn our way to salvation. God is the only one who "made an end to all our sin," as the song below states. I am so thankful to be Rescued from my sin and made righteous before God because of Jesus! 

Romans 4:25-5:6 "He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly." 

Sola Gratia! by Grace Alone!