Reforming the Church

Why are you here? Why do you exist? What were you made for? Do you know? These are "core questions". Questions that get at the heart of life, our understanding of everything else. The Dark Ages lasted for about a thousand years, from the 5th to the 15th century. During this time the common Christian was, indeed, left very much in the dark, unable and even restricted from reading the Word of God. But then the Light began to dawn. The Reformation of the Church took place, and the Word of God returned to Its rightful place at the center of Church-life. What is most important, most central to your life? Or, again, Why do you exist? Join us today for a survey of several Scripture as we wrap up our study of the Five Solas of the Reformation, ending today with Soli Deo Gloria.

Where is your confidence before our holy God? Perhaps you've been baptized? Maybe you were raised in the Church and have been a member for years, have gone on mission trips, have evangelized many friends, are even consider by many as a godly saint... or at least better than most? Is your hope before a holy God in your own accomplishments, your own righteousness? Well friend, let me be frank: that ain't even close to being good enough! Today is the third week of our five week series on the Five Solas of the Reformation: Sola Fide, of "faith alone". We'll be surveying a number of passages today, so you are invited to pick up a copy of God's Word and follow along with us as we begin today in Romans 3.28.

"Gosh, I wish God would just speak to me, that He'd give me some direction here." Today we consider the second of the five solas, the heart cries of the reformation: Scripture alone, or sola Scriptura. Do you know God's Word? Do you know God? Can you know God apart from His Word? Pastor Burke Parsons of Ligonier Ministries recently tweeted that "The protestant church is in greater need of reformation today than the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century." How far have today's protestant churches drifted from Scripture? Sola Scriptura was the driving force behind the Reformation. Many gave their lives in order to translate or distribute copies of God's Word into various languages so that many could know the Lord through His Word. May our time studying this sola strengthen our love for and dependence upon God's Holy Word.

Today we begin a five week study of the heart cry of the reformation. The fathers of the protestant reformation did not set out to define the 'five solas'. These pillars of our faith were more like embers taken from the ashes that were there all along; they set fire to the transformation of God's holy Church. For a thousand years the Scripture was pushed aside in preference for the false doctrines of man. This period of time has rightly been dubbed "The Dark Ages". But the Light of God's Word would not remain hidden forever. Our Sovereign Lord raised up a generation of men who sought the Truth and posted It on the lamp-stand for all to see. Today we will survey the Scriptures that makeup the first pillar: Sola Gratia, men are salvaged from their sin by God's Grace Alone.