Martin Luther & Reformation

On December 5th, we began a two-week series on
Bible Text:

Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 4:18–19; Romans 3:21–26; Ephesians 2:8–9

Lesson Focus:

Christians continually reform the church to spread the good news to every generation and culture.

Big Question:

Who is Martin Luther and what does it mean to be a Lutheran?

Key Words:

MARTIN LUTHER, REFORMATION, CATHOLIC, THESIS, RECANT

Key Word Definitions

MARTIN LUTHER: a German monk and priest who worked to make changes in the church during the 16th century. He became known (not by his choice) as the founder of a new movement that became the Lutheran Church.

REFORMATION: time period in the 16th century when church leaders attempted to change the way the Roman Catholic Church functioned.

CATHOLIC: with a capital C, refers to the Roman Catholic Church, or the traditions of the Western European church before the Reformation. With a lowercase c, refers to all Christians in the universal Christian church; this is the "catholic" we speak of in the Christian creeds.

THESIS: a statement made to provoke an argument or discussion. Luther posted "95 Theses" (plural) on the door of Wittenberg Church in hopes of engaging church leaders in a conversation about his concerns.

RECANT: To withdraw a statement or belief. Luther was asked to recant what he stated at the Diet of Worms in 1521. He did not recant.


Luther: Right With God

Throughout Luther's ministry, he struggled with what it meant for someone to be "right with God." His main question was, "What does it take to please God and attain righteousness in God's eyes?" While studying the Letter to the Romans, he was smacked over the head with the realization that no one can do enough to be right with God AND that God has already solved the problem by making us righteous through Jesus Christ. This idea led to other new insights and the recognition that the Roman Catholic Church needed to change. Luther began to point out practices that he felt went against what the Bible said about God, and he called on the church leaders to make changes. Making use of the newly invented printing press, he circulated pamphlets featuring his ideas and eventually posted "95 Theses" for debate on the door of the church in Wittenberg.

Some Central Theological Points of the Reformation

1. God's love is unconditional.

2. Sin is VERY real.

3. The three solas—sola scriptura (scripture alone), sola fidei (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone)—are central to Luther's teaching and the Reformation. These are often quoted as "the key" to Luther's teaching.

4. We are saved by grace through faith.

5. We are saved by grace, not works.

6. All people have the duty to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, not just pastors.

7. The imperfect church continues to be imperfect. Luther taught that the church is a human institution. It makes mistakes and it needs to be continually learning and reforming. When the Christian church is faithful to God, it is continually changing and evaluating what has been done in the past and learning to adapt to new times and cultures.