"Reformation truth; reformation life" (Sermon FFMC 31/12/17)
Introduction I felt that, before 2017 comes to a close, I would like to teach about the event that exactly 500 years ago caused a major rift in the Church. In 1517, a monk and university lecturer named Martin Luther posting of 95 theses (statements for debate) to the church door at Wittenberg castle. Within a few years he was the most wanted man in Germany. He and other Reformers were convicted that the church of their day had drifted away from the original teachings of Christianity, especially in regard to its teaching about salvation. They wanted to re-anchor Christianity on the original message of the Bible. The Reformation was a ‘protest’ against the doctrinal and moral corruption of the church of the day. We know that this ended, not in reform, but in separation. And that is why today most Christians are divided into Catholic and “Protestant” categories. As we come to the core beliefs of the Reformation I want to make 3 observations: 1. ...