REFORMED

   During the history of the Christian Church, the Church went though a time when the light of biblical truth became increasingly dim. It was left to a few men to rekindle the flame of the Gospel and to call the Church back to the Scriptures. Instead of being conformed to the world, the Church is to be transformed - that is, "REFORMED" - by the Scriptures. The people who sounded this alarm were called the Reformers of the Church -- people like Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Knox. And even before them, others like John Wycliffe, Hugh Latimer, and Thomas Muntzer.

   Arising out of this period of reformation were five foundational truths, five banners that distinguished the reformers from the predominant church at the time, the Roman Catholic Church, and summarized in part what they were trying to do:

• Scripture Alone:  This declares that the Holy Scriptures containing the Old and New Testaments are the sole source of revelation from God. Since the Scriptures are the inspired words of God (literally, "God breathed" according to 2 Timothy 3:16), they are to be the final authoritative rule for our faith and life. These Scriptures are given by God to the Church and are to be interpreted in and by these communities of faith in accordance with the faith that was once and for all entrusted to the saints (all true believers) (Jude 1:3).
  
  
• Christ Alone: This teaches us that the message of the Scriptures is that salvation is found in Christ alone (Acts 4:12). The Bible from the beginning to end is the record of the acts of God in redeeming His people who have fallen into sin and are separated from Him. These acts of redemption culminate in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught that the whole of Scripture speaks of Him (John 5:39; Luke 24:27, 44-47). Therefore, we are 'whole Bible' Christians, knowing that we cannot fully appreciate the story of salvation recorded in the New Testament unless we see its beginnings in the Old Testament.
  
  
• Grace Alone: The Scriptures teach that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and that no one is seeking Him (Romans 3:11,23). Apart from Christ, all people are spiritually dead in their sins (Ephesians 2:1-3). Therefore, if anyone is to be saved from this condition, God must graciously save us since no one can make themselves presentable to God. God, therefore in grace (sheer undeserved mercy) reaches down in the muck and mire of man's sinful condition, and cleanses His people with the blood of Christ and clothes them in the righteousness of Christ. It is all grace from beginning to end. And it is all amazing.
  
  
• Faith Alone: This declares to us that a person is justified (that is, declared by God, in His sight, 'not guilty' and 'positively righteous') by grace through faith alone. Since the sinner is dead in his sin, God must revive or regenerate the believer and give to him the gift of faith through which the sinner believes. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not from ourselves, it is a gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). No one is made right before God by doing good things, but only by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
  
  
• For the Glory of God Alone: Since salvation is the gift of God received by faith alone, God gets all the glory. No man has room to boast before God. If God had not planned, accomplished, and applied salvation to His people, none would be saved. But God has provided salvation to all who believe. Therefore, we dedicate our lives to glorifying God, and enjoying Him forever.

   In short, "the Gospel -- known in Scripture alone, and in Christ alone, given by grace alone, received by faith alone, to the glory of God alone--is still 'the power of God unto salvation.'"