Our Scripture meditation is based on Romans 3:19–25, the start of next week’s Epistle Reading
[19] Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. [20] For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. [21] But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—[22] the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, [25] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
We are blessed this week to prepare for the celebration of Reformation Sunday. Yet from time to time I hear criticism of Lutheran churches for having a worship service dedicated to the Reformation. The argument is that Reformation is not a biblical festival, such as Christmas or Easter. The bottom line is that Scripture does not place limits on worship festivals for Christians.
It is ironic that this complaint is made against Reformation services. The Reformation was a movement some 500 years ago to bring Christendom back to biblical teaching and practice. One issue was that the Roman Catholic church was creating laws that were not biblical, yet holding God’s people accountable to those laws. For example, the Roman Catholic Church taught, and still teaches, that God’s people must earn the merits of Jesus’ forgiveness. There is no such law in the Bible. In fact, Romans 3:24 says we are “justified by his grace as a gift, through redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
Anyone who says that Reformation services are wrong is again holding Christians accountable to unbiblical laws. We will gather with a clear conscience for Reformation in our churches next weekend. We will hear God’s law, reminding us of our sinful nature and sinful lives. Then we will hear the words of absolution, God granting the forgiveness of our sins. In response to personally receiving God’s grace, we will shake church rafters singing hymns of the Reformation.
This is fitting, because if we forget or dismiss Church history and traditions, we risk again walking away from orthodox biblical teaching and practice. That reason alone is enough to keep holding Reformation services.
Until next week, the Lord bless and guide.
Kevin Wilson 360 