Why the Reformation Still Matters

In the 1500s, a fire ignited across Europe—a movement that tore through layers of tradition, corruption, and control within the dominant religious institutions of the day. It wasn't politics that sparked it. It wasn't rebellion for the sake of disruption. It was the Bible.

The Protestant Reformation reshaped Christianity, not because people wanted a new religion, but because they wanted access to God’s truth. They wanted the gospel in their own language, the Scriptures in their own hands, and assurance of salvation through faith in Christ—not through fear, payment, or man-made systems.

Yet the Reformation is not just a historical moment. Every generation, and every individual, needs their own personal reformation. Each of us must examine the religious traditions we’ve inherited—whether Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, or none at all—and ask, “Does this align with God’s Word?”

The Problem of Power and Control

Before the Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church had become more concerned with power than with the gospel. Political ambition often outweighed pastoral care. Scandal plagued the papacy—some popes fathered children, some murdered rivals, and some used their power to manipulate entire regions. One infamous example, Pope Stephen VI, even exhumed and publicly tried his dead predecessor's corpse.

But perhaps more damaging than political corruption was theological control. The Church forbade ordinary people from owning or reading Scripture in their native languages. The 1229 Council of Toulouse declared that the laity should not even possess the Old or New Testaments. The Church claimed this was for the people’s protection, but the effect was clear: spiritual knowledge was monopolized, and the gospel was obscured.

And the Eastern Orthodox Church? While not as politically intertwined as Rome, they too resisted the idea of Scripture in the hands of everyday people. The Confession of Dositheus (1672) insisted that only the educated elite should read the Bible, while others should depend on the Church to interpret it for them. The assumption was simple: you are not qualified to know God for yourself.

The Reformers' Response

But then came men like Martin Luther, William Tyndale, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli. They weren’t perfect men—some had serious flaws—but they were courageous. They pointed people back to the Word of God.

Luther, a Catholic monk turned reformer, was tormented by guilt. No matter how often he confessed his sins, fasted, or prayed, he never felt forgiven. His conscience, shaped by the belief that righteousness had to be earned, gave him no peace. Until, in the book of Romans, he discovered the doctrine of justification by faith alone. It wasn't his righteousness that made him right with God—it was Christ's.

This became one of the central teachings of the Reformation. As Ephesians 2:8–9 says, "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast."

Luther wasn’t alone. William Tyndale believed so strongly that every person should be able to read the Bible for themselves that he translated the New Testament into English. For this, he was strangled and burned at the stake. His final prayer: “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.”

What Did the Reformers Get Right?

Three truths guided the reformers and remain essential today:

1. We should read and memorize the Bible.
   Scripture is God’s Word. It’s not just for priests or scholars—it’s for everyone. Psalm 119 reminds us that hiding God’s Word in our hearts keeps us from sin. The Bible is not merely a tool for religious instruction; it is the primary way we know who God is and how we can be saved.
   
   
2. We are saved through faith alone.
   This was not a new idea—it was the ancient gospel rediscovered. Salvation does not come through a balance of good deeds or religious rituals. It is not earned. The thief on the cross next to Jesus had never taken communion, never been baptized, never joined a church—yet Jesus told him, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Why? Because he believed.
   
   
3. Jesus is our High Priest.
   Jesus alone stands between us and God. We don’t need a priest or saint to mediate for us. As 1 Timothy 2:5 declares, “There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.” We have direct access to the throne of grace because Jesus, our perfect representative, has already offered the final sacrifice for our sins.
   
   

A Call to Examine Your Faith

Many today assume they're Christians because of their religious background, baptism, or church attendance. The Bible warns that many will be deceived, thinking they knew God when they never truly trusted in Christ.

Even today, religious institutions—Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox alike—can drift from biblical truth. That's why the reformation is not over. The Reformers used the Latin phrase Semper Reformanda—"always reforming." We must constantly return to the Bible, evaluating all beliefs and practices by God’s Word.

It’s not enough to “inherit” religion. You must personally repent and believe in the gospel: Jesus in my place. The Son of God lived a perfect life, died a sinner’s death, and rose again so that all who trust in Him could be reconciled to God.

What Now?

If you’ve never examined what you believe and why you believe it, start now. Don’t just float through life repeating what you heard from a priest, pastor, or parent. Read the Scriptures. Ask hard questions. Know Christ personally.

And if you are a Christian, let the reformation renew your love for the Word. Open your Bible. Treasure it. Memorize it. Let it shape your heart and mind. Because the greatest tragedy would not be living in 16th-century Europe without a Bible—it would be owning one today and never opening it.