…but god… Episode 17
Transcript
“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Romans 3:21-26 NASB1995
This week we look at verses that changed the western world. 505 years ago a priest who was a professor at The University of Wittenberg was teaching a Bible study on the Book of Romans. As he was going through the book of Romans he was discovering through the revelation of God that the Church of Rome was doing some things that were not biblical. He began to write some things down that the church needed to change. He came up with 95. Among the problems the Church of Rome had was their domination over the people through a works based society. It worked on a financial system where people paid the church for virtually every work they did, so that they could be saved. This system worked on an industrial scale. They paid indulgences and dispensation to get people out of purgatory and into heaven, they paid to get to touch a “relic” that Christ or one of the disciples touched. That “touch” “might” get them healed.
I am sure that you have guessed that priest was Martin Luther, that list became known as the 95 Thesis, which began what History calls the Protestant Reformation.
Luther did not want to split from the Church of Rome, he wanted them to get back to the heart of Christianity. Which is manifested in these verses. We can’t follow the law, we are all sinners in need of a savior, Christ came as a savior for our sins, then rose again to conquer death. If we believe and have faith in this through grace we are saved from eternal damnation.
That is the gospel message, that is what Luther wanted the Church of Rome to come back to. The Church of Rome wanted nothing to do with Luther, because they were so intrenched in their money making industry of dispensation, indulgences, and relics. They branded Luther a heretic and excommunicated him. If it were not for the protection of Frederick the Wise Luther would have been executed.
We need to get back to the heart of the gospel, the heart of worship, and the heart of serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It’s simple, Christ came, he died for our sins and rose again. By grace we are saved. And our faith is manifested in our works of the great commission. We must go into the world and preach the gospel.
Lord thank you for your perfect saving grace. Lord, help us to preach the gospel and serve you as we serve others. Help our works to glorify you! Help us never to make our works about anything but a manifestation of your gospel message. We pray these things in Jesus Name. Amen…
Blessings and Press In and Press On!
Hosted by Chad McBeam
