At the time of the Protestant Reformation, the Renaissance was creating many new ideas, machines that would further progress and the questioning of the reigning church of the time, the Roman Catholic Church stood with many reigning kings in various Christian nations. The thought of questioning the church was really not a possibility. Leonardo DaVinci was exploring how a man could take flight at the same time as he was working on plans for an armored tank. In his spare time, he created amazing pieces of art. World trade was bringing new ideas, new business tactics and creating a system of economics not yet experienced. King Henry VIII was in a battle with the Roman Catholic Church to bestow an annulment on his marriage to first wife, Catherine of Aragon. He finally was able to achieve a divorce and went on to marry many more women. A man named Martin Luther, struggled with the teachings of the church in Germany, and the falsehoods that were being shared among the people, encouraging them to pay their way into heaven with money or good works. Luther was a resolute Catholic. In fact, he served as a monk, prayed incessantly and went to confession as often as he prayed. Even doing those things, weren’t enough. He felt destined for hell and believed he was on a fast track there, until he discovered the truth of the Gospel. He diligently read the Bible on a daily basis. As he searched through the scriptures, he stumbled on the book of Romans. Within the pages of this book, Luther discovered that out salvation had been bought and paid for by Jesus, through His crucifixion and resurrection. It is by grace that we have all been saved.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘the righteous shall live by faith.”

Romans 1:16-17

We know that he went before the church with his grievances by posting a list of 95 potential assumptions challenging Roman Catholicism. Eventually there was a trial after Luther had been declared a heretic. He stood strong and courageously at his trial. He was firm in his convictions, stating that if the church would show him where he was wrong, He would relinquish his claim. If they could not, He said in his final argument, ” Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.” The statement encompassed his determination. Thus began a reformation that would be spread by many men, through many avenues, countries and denominations. The fight for truth, landed Luther in jail for an entire year. During that time, he translated the Bible from Latin into German. With the advent of the printing press, the Word of God would now be available to the common man – giving them the truth of God’s unconditional love and undeserved grace.

God’s Word is our great heritage.

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