Our church recently had a visiting pastor from another reformed church share with us on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. I greatly enjoyed what he had to say and it was very refreshing. He handed out some literature that he wrote that, while it is certainly not anything new, and not earthshaking, and while it is what I believe and have believed for a little while, I thought it would be profitable to post it here on my blog. I will post it by bits at a time so it will be over the next few days.

The Rallying Cries of the Reformation
Rev. Marcus J. Serven, TH.M.

It is appropriate for Christians to remember the significant heroes of the past. This is especially true for Protestants, since there have been so many truly great champions from the Reformation era (c. 1517-1650) who made a major impact upon the present day church. Men such as:

Theodore Beza, Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger, John Calvin, Thomas Cranmer, John Hus, John Knox, Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, Pierre-Robert Olivetan, Caspar Olevianus, Nicolas Ridley, Samual Rutherford, Menno Simons, William Tyndale, Zacharias Ursinus, John Wycliffe, Ulrich Zwingli, and many other lesser known persons. Each of these Reformers, despite some of their individual differences, greatly influences the Church in their own particular region to hold to right doctrine (orthodoxy). This is why taking the time to remember these men on reformation day (October 31st), the very day that Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral, is good and right and proper. Consider the following “rallying cries” as hard won blessings which have been “bought with blood” for the benefit of Christ’s Church during this current era in which we live.

1. “By Christ Alone” (Solus Christus): Jesus Christ is the only name by which we may be saved (Isaiah 53:1-12; John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
2. “By Scripture Alone” (Sola Scriptura): The Bible alone is the source of God’s revelation; it contains the Law, the Gospel, the principles for how we should live and worship and think (John 10:35; II Timothy 3:14-17; Hebrews 4:12-13).
3. “By Grace Alone” (Sola Gratia): God’s grace alone is the ground of our salvation, and this is received by faith alone (Psalm 31:1; Ephesians 2:4-10; Titus 2:11-14).
4. “By Faith Alone” (Sola Fide): God-given faith is the only way to receive the imputed righteousness of Christ, which results in our justification (Romans 1:16-17, and 3:28; Ephesians 2:8-9).
5. “In the Presence of God” (Coram Deo): Christians are exhorted by the Bible to live all of life in the presence of God. This implies that there is no area of life where we do not “business with God” [Negotium Cum Deo] (Proverbs 15:3; Ephesians 5:1-14; Colossians 3:1-17).
6. “To God Be the Glory” (Sola Deo Gloria): God alone is the proper recipient of our gratitude in the matter of salvation and the Christian life (I Corinthians 10:31; Titus 3:5-7; I Peter 4:10-11).
7. “The Priesthood of Every Believer” (Communio Sanctorum): Every Believer is exhorted by God to live out the Christian life as a “holy venture” that pleases God (I Peter 2:9-10). Our sanctification and assurance of salvation are based solely upon the finished work of Christ on the cross (Romans 12:1-2; I John 1:9; I Peter 2:21-25).
8. “After Darkness Light” (Post Tenebras Lux): This was the motto of Geneva, Switzerland during the time of the Reformation. It reflects the wonderful deliverance from their former way of life that the local population came to feel as they lived by the doctrines of the Bible (John 3:19-21 and 8:12; Colossians 1:13-14).