Reformation Theology: An Introduction

492 years ago, on this day, October 31st, Martin Luther marked the beginning of the Reformation with his famous 95 theses. It was said that the hinge that the door of Christianity swings is on the doctrine of justification by faith, such is what was fought for at the time of the reformation, the reformers prior to Luther and those who went after him.

Contrary though to popular belief the issue did not merely hang on justification by faith as if to assert that Rome never affirmed such a thing. Rome and every other religious cult glazing itself with Christian teaching and doctrine openly affirm that salvation is by faith and by grace. It’s interesting to me that many of those who would call themselves protestants do not know that point. Rather the main issue of the reformation and that which was defended and contended even centuries upon centuries before Luther’s time is if salvation is by faith alone through grace alone.

Sadly, even today many would say that it’s not that serious of an issue to discuss or debate about. One camp says salvation is 98% God and 2% man, or 99% God and 1% man. Another camp says that man just initiates salvation as if giving it a kick of sorts but he really contributes so little, God does so much still! No matter what it may be the main issue is: if God saves, and saves sufficiently or not. Monergism or synergism.

Now came the post-modern era. In the time of Luther and Erasmus, and a thousand years before in Augustine and Pelagius’ time it is quite easy to find common ground for their debates, because they fundamentally have a high view of the God-hood of God. In our day and age that simply is not the case anymore. To endeavor to raise the same issues today as that which was raised in the Reformation, where the golden Truths of God’s Word that was recovered then—is being thoroughly discarded by that of which considers itself Christianity, or at least of what passes to be Christianity in our generation, will meet utter apathy and more often than not be discarded in a heart beat.

That which is seen as generally crucial and core to the Christian faith generations ago, especially in the turn of the century, the majority view by what names itself evangelicalism today has begun to see these things as non-essentials and minor issues becoming the popular Christian ideology. Why is this? Because a low view of God has been the main creed of postmodern Christian religion. A faith not grounded on the revealed Word and God-hood of God but faith grounded on faith itself that is grounded on what men perceive of what faith is. Whether or not it be drawn from emotion or a philosophical conception it does not matter as long as it feels Christian, filled with love and is intolerant.

In our world today full of widespread ignorance of the truths of Scripture we do not have the luxury that the Reformers had in their time. To discuss and present a Biblical case of the doctrines of the reformation will not and can not be understood with out a proper view of God.

When I talk about the God-hood of God, I mean God’s proper right of Kingship. God’s sovereign right over all His creation. The sovereignty of God.

Quite honestly this concept is difficult to understand in our day and age. Why? Because we don’t have anymore any real apprehension of what it means to be ruled by a king. Men love democracy and the freedoms that come from the Republic’s constitution and bill of rights. We want our freedom to choose and our freedom to pick those we want to ruler over us. To have a sovereign king over us is the last thing we as postmodern human beings would want.

This idea reverberates even in the Christian psyche. We see Christians all over affirming Christ as their personal Savior, some sort of Lord, but never would you openly hear a main stream evangelical say: “The Lord is my King and I am His servant, His slave.”

“Slave? Servant-hood? What are you talking about? Don’t you encroach on my rights and my ‘freedom’ in Christ!”

Sadly, that’s a response that is not that much surprising in modern Christendom.

Is God’s right to kingship and sovereignty then is but a man made concept? I say, no. Far from it! One of the main themes of the Bible is God’s absolute sovereignty over all things. If any fair minded and honest person would read the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, if there’s at least even one distinct conclusion that he can draw from it, it is this: “God is sovereign.”

In the next series of posts I will attempt to discuss and labor to write out the testimony of Scripture concerning God’s Sovereignty, and from there I will belabor to present to you the doctrines that were recovered in the Reformation and that which is held and being fought for by the reformed tradition even to this day.

The text of Scripture that I will use as a foundation of my discourse will be Romans 11:36 [show][36]For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (ESV)
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For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
—Romans 11:36 [show][36]For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (ESV)

FeebleSaint (JM Vergara) is an aspiring Christian blogger. A sinner saved by God's sovereign grace. An Engineer. A GFX afficionado. A lay-theologian. Nothing but a Feeble Saint. Find me on: Twitter - Facebook - Plurk - Multiply - Youtube - email