Brothers and sisters it has been said that those that fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat its mistakes. October 31st is the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Those familiar with church history will know that this was the day that Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the church door in Witenburg Germany.
To commemorate Reformation day, Desiring God, has put out a series of articles on different saints who played a key part in what we call the Reformation. I have tried to post these articles on a daily basis under their theme Here We Stand. I hope you've been edified and have learned something from these articles as I have.
In the one constant theme I see throughout these articles is that these saints stood on the authority of God's word, and God's word alone as the ultimate authority for one's life. Their authority was not the Pope, the Roman Catholic Church, or the church fathers. Their Authority was the Word of God and it alone. As such these saints paid a dear price.
These article speak to us today in that there are those evangelicals who are enamored with Roman Catholicism. I continually hear and read accounts of those who have crossed the Tiber River. An expression that is said of those who have embraced Roman Catholicism out of an Evangelical background.
Brothers and sisters let us be warned. Our brethren five hundred years ago died for the truth of Christ's Word to be set free from Roman Catholic traditions. They died for Him who is the Word to be set free in Christ.
There are some who claim to be Evangelical who are going gaga over the Pope. Evangelicals who embrace Catholicism generally do it through the reading of the church fathers. Thus they reject the authority of scriptures. That's they forget the testimony of the martyrs of the Refornation.
Saints let us be warned. Let us not forget the testimony of those who layed fown their lives to leave us the scriptures. Let us not forget their testimony. And, as they, let us stand for the truth of Christ. For it is Jesus Christ and His Word who is our ultimate authority. It is not the traditions nor the writings nor the theology of man. But only Christ alone who is our authority.
Simply my thoughts.
Blaine Scogin