October 31 - A Time for Christians to Celebrate

Did you know that October 31st is actually a wonderful day of celebration for Christians? I’m not talking about candy, ghosts or costumes. I am talking about the Reformation. Saturday marks 492 years of Protestant Reformation!

On October 31, 1517 in Saxony (in what is now Germany), Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, which served as a pin board for university-related announcements. His theses were points for debate that criticized the Church and the Pope. The most controversial points centered on the practice of selling indulgences and the Church's policy on purgatory. Luther's spiritual predecessors were men such as John Wycliffe and John Hus. Other reformers, such as Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin, soon followed Luther's lead. Church beliefs and practices under attack by Protestant reformers included purgatory, particular judgment, devotion to Mary, the intercession of the saints, most of the sacraments, and the authority of the Pope.

I hope we will find time this Saturday to thank God for giving the reformers the strength to uphold truth and stand strong in the face of religion. These men and women found their strength in the unmerited grace of God and so should we!

“God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NLT).