Not Your Grandma’s Reformation

The Whole Collection

We tried to come up with 95 things, but ran out of steam after 6.

What Is Reformation Day?

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther changed everything.

Is that an overstatement of events? Maybe. Possibly. Probably not.

In the 16th century, the Catholic church was a mess. Was everyone terrible? No. Were there a whole lot of people abusing their power and authority for their own gain? Absolutely.

Unfortunately, as we often see today, it came down to money. Money, works, favors, theological weirdness, and more. The people were oppressed. The gospel was oppressed.

One monk had enough. One monk named Martin Luther.

He looked at the injustice all around him, informed his superiors, and their superiors, and so on. They did nothing. They chastised him and provoked him. He wouldn’t stand for it.

In a desperate move on October 31st, he slapped a document on the door at Wittenberg Gate. (That probably happened, anyway.)

That document? The 95 Theses.

Though it still largely supported Catholic ideals (as a western reformed protestant I find that I only really agree with like 10 of the theses), it paved the way for a renewal of an old gospel: grace alone, through faith alone, through Christ alone.

That’s a big deal. You can’t buy your way into heaven. You can’t earn your way. Jesus did it all.

It’s that in that truth that we have hope, and it’s that truth that we celebrate.

Without Martin Luther, countless believers may have never encountered the truth.

So we celebrate.

The 5 Solas

As part of the reformation, the idea gave birth to 5 important tenants of our faith. We call them the Five Solas of the Reformation.

• Sola Scriptura (only Scripture)

• Solus Christus (Christ alone)

• Sola Fide (Faith alone)

• Sola Gratia (Grace alone)

• Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone be the glory)

You can promote these simple truths in an understated design that will be sure to spark gospel conversations.