It began with Martin Luther and his 95 Theses. But it really the result of God and His word, and God using Martin Luther for His purpose. Near the end of his life, Luther declared, “All I have done is put forth, preach, and write the Word of God, and apart from this I have done nothing, it is the Word that has done great things, I have done nothing; the Word has done and achieved everything.” Elsewhere, he proclaimed, “By the Word the earth has been subdued; by the Word the Church has been saved; and by the Word also it shall be reestablished.” Noting Scripture’s foundational place in his own heart, Luther wrote, “No matter what happens, you should say: There is God’s Word. This is my rock and anchor. On it I rely, and it remains. Where it remains, I, too, remain; where it goes, I, too, go.”
Martin Luther understood what caused the Reformation. He recognized that it was the Word of God, empowered by the Spirit of God, preached by men of God, in a language that the common people of Europe could understand. When the people’s ears were exposed to the truth of God’s Word it pierced their hearts and they were radically changed, by God’s grace and for His glory. Wouldn’t that have been a sight to see? Where the word of God, placed in the hands of men, could radically change their life.
It was ignorance of Scripture that made the Reformation necessary. It was the recovery of Scripture that made the Reformation possible. It was that very power of Scripture that transformed Luther’s own heart (Hebrews 4:12)…..“The Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.” Also, (Jeremiah 23:29) – makes this same point…..“‘Is not My word like fire?’ declares the Lord, ‘and like a hammer which shatters a rock?’” During the late middle ages, the medieval Catholic Church had imprisoned God’s Word in the Latin language, a language the common people of Europe did not speak. It was the Reformers that unlocked the Scriptures by translating them and boldly proclaiming their truth. Once people had access to the Word of God, the Reformation became inevitable. The common thread, from Reformer to Reformer, was an undying commitment to the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, and for that they were willing to sacrifice everything, including their own lives, to get the Word of God into the hands of the people. Wow! Would you consider yourself a modern reformer? They understood that the power for spiritual reformation and revival was not in them, but in the gospel (Romans 1:16–17). Think about that! How many times do we hear today that our country, our town, our church, we as individuals needs a revival. Real revival is wrapped up in the preaching of God’s word. If the word of God is taught and applied in your life, and in your church, and it is the focus, you are on the right footing.
In Luther’s day they used the Latin phrase sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”) to emphasize the truth that God’s Word was the true power and ultimate authority behind all they said and did. Again, it was ignorance of Scripture that made the Reformation necessary. It was the recovery of Scripture that made the Reformation possible. And it was the power of the Scripture that gave the Reformation its enduring impact, as the Holy Spirit brought the truth of His Word to bear on the hearts and minds of individual sinners, transforming them, regenerating them, and giving them eternal life. May today find us with the same heart and passion for the word of God as Martin Luther and others.