We found our way to the Castle Church. "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" was painted around the large spire, seen no matter where you stood in the city. Finally, there it was - the door, the door where Luther nailed the 95 Theses and, without intending to do so, launched the reformation of the church.
While admiring the church and the door, I was struck with a thought, one that came by surprise - "I am in need of reformation too."
Like Paul (see Romans 1:16) I am a "chief sinner." Since Psalm 139 tells me that God knows me through and through, I might as well admit my condition - I am a poor, miserable sinner. It's unbelievable how often my thoughts, words and deeds are totally out of alignment with God's will for my life.
How about you? Can you relate? If you had to stand before God and offer your best to Him, what could you give. The Scriptures teach that our good works are like filthy rags before our Holy Lord (see Isaiah 64:6).
Luther might have started the Reformation; there is nothing either you or I can do to bring reformation to our own lives.
So, God did the reforming for us.
His reformation plan centered around the redemption that Jesus brought about. Jesus bought us back, paid for us not with the Discover Card but with His own blood. His shed blood covered our sins. His resurrection spelled death for death and the devil. On the third day Jesus rose from the dead. On the Last Day we, too, with all who believed that Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life,"(John 14:6) will rise from the dead as well.
All those who have placed their faith in Jesus are "a new creation." (2 Corinthians 5:17) God no longer sees the "old, pre-Christ person," as one Bible commentator puts it. God no longer sees us as a sinner. We are a new creation, we have new life in Christ, and we have the Holy Spirit doing His sanctifying work in us through the wonderful means of grace - Word, Baptism, Supper.
One can't visit Wittenberg and then leave without a sense of awe. The sacrifices Luther made to call out a church that had totally lost the Gospel nearly cost the reformer his life. But maybe more important is Luther's bold proclamation that a person is saved by grace along, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone.
It's all about Jesus, isn't it? Celebrate His redeeming and reforming work in you today!
