Pastor’s Corner October 2014

The following was published in our monthly newsletter, the Redeemer Report.

The Sunday before October 31st is designated “Reformation Sunday” in our tradition. Redeemer is a direct descendent of the Reformation and a church committed to the key Reformation principles of Scripture alone, Christ alone, Grace alone, Faith alone, and to God alone be the glory.

There were many factors that led to the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century. The Roman Church’s office of Pope embodied the convergence of several teachings and practices that forced confrontation with those churchmen who believed God’s Word (the Bible) to be the sole authority by which the Church was defined and governed. Other related controversial Roman teachings that provoked the Reformation included the primacy of the Roman bishop as “Pope” (Father) and infallible vicar of Christ. The rise of church tradition and the Pope to a level equal with Scripture pushed the conflict over the edge. The emergence of medieval doctrines like transubstantiation (the communion bread and wine somehow become the actual body and blood of Christ), celibacy for priests, the necessity of priests for confession of sin and the codifying of seven sacraments (instead of the two outlined by the Bible), pressed priests and professors, who were faithful students of Scripture, to react. On one hand the Reformation was a movement to address many errors. On the other hand, the Reformation came down to a return to Scripture as the only measure and ultimate authority for all matters of faith and life.

Without a clear understanding of Scriptural authority, we cannot have a clear understanding of the Gospel. The Gospel is revealed by God’s Word, which was given by God’s Spirit. So the Reformation, among other things, is a return to God’s Word. Reformation Sunday is therefore a celebration of the gift of God’s Word and the Gospel of Jesus Christ it reveals.

For most of the last ten years, Dr. David Calhoun has been our Reformation Day speaker. He moved to Chicago two months ago after finishing another round of chemotherapy. His doctors are restricting his air travel so he will not be with us this year. Our speaker will be Rev. Brian Albert, my good friend, and pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Lenexa. Brian is a “Spurgeon Baptist”, which is just about close enough to being Presbyterian! In all seriousness, Pastor Albert is committed to the doctrines of grace championed by the Reformation and a gifted preacher and teacher of God’s Word. I brought the Reformation Day sermon to his church two years ago, so now he comes to Redeemer to do the same for us.

With the reformer, Martin Bucer, we agree – “God permits divisions, in order that those who belong to Him may learn not to look to men, but to the testimony of the Word, and to the assurance of the Holy Spirit in their hearts…hold fast to the teaching of Him who said, ‘Come unto me’, and not, ‘Come unto my vicar!’”

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Tony Felich