HAPPY REFORMATION DAY

Today is the anniversary of the day when Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany. This event took place on October 31, 1517 and launched the Protestant Reformation. Christians should be thankful for the way God used Martin Luther. The two most popular doctrines of the Protestant Reformation that became the battle cry for Protestants are sola scriptura and sola fida, which teach that Scripture alone has the authority to bind the consciences of believers and that salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

The doctrine of justification, the storm-center of the Reformation, was for Paul the heart of the gospel (Rom. 1:17; 3:21-5:21; Gal. 2:15-5:1), shaping his message (Acts 13:38, 39) and his devotion (2 Cor. 5:13-21; Phil. 3:4-14). Though other New Testament writers affirm the same doctrine in substance, the terms in which Protestants have affirmed and defended it for almost five centuries are drawn primarily from Paul.

Justification is God's act of pardoning sinners and accepting them as righteous for Christ's sake. In it, God puts permanently right their previously estranged relationship with Himself. this justifying sentence is God's bestowal of a status acceptance for Jesus' sake (2 Cor. 5:21).

God's justifying judgement seems strange, for pronouncing sinners righteous may appear to be precisely the kind of unjust action by a judge that God's own law forbids (Deut. 25:1; Prov. 17:15). Yet it is a just judgement, for its basis is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. As "the last Adam" (1 Cor. 15:45), our representative head acting on our behalf, Christ obeyed the law that bound us and endured the punishment for lawlessness that we deserved, and so "merited" our justification. Our justification is on a just basis (Rom. 3:25, 26; 1 John 1:9), with Christ's righteousness reckoned to our account (Rom. 5:18, 19).

God's justifying decision is in effect the judgement of the Last Day regarding where we will spend eternity, brought forward into the present and pronounced here and now. It is a judgement on our eternal destiny; God will never go back on it, however much Satan may appeal against the verdict (Zech. 3:1; Rom. 8:33; Rev. 12:10). To be justified is to be eternally secure (Rom. 5:1-5; 8:30).

The necessary means of justification is personal faith in Jesus Christ as crucified Savior and risen Lord (Rom. 4:23-25; 10:8-13). Faith is necessary because the meritorious ground of our justification is entirely in Christ. As we give ourselves in faith to Jesus, Jesus gives us His gift of righteousness, so that in the very act of "closing with Christ," as older Reformed teachers put it, we receive the divine pardon and acceptance we can find nowhere else (Gal. 2:15, 16; 3:24).

Historic Roman Catholic theology includes sanctification in the definition of justification, considered as a process rather than a single decisive event, and affirms that while faith contributes to our acceptance with God, our works of sanctification and merit must contribute too. Catholics see baptism as conveying the sanctifying grace that first justifies us. Afterward the sacrament of penance allows supplementary merit to be achieved through works, securing justification if the grace of God's initial acceptance is lost through mortal sin. This supplementary merit does not oblige God to be gracious although it is the normal context for receiving it. On the Roman Catholic view, believers effect their own salvation with the help of the grace that flows from Christ through the church's sacramental system. The Reformers pointed out that this view of salvation undercuts the sense of confidence that only free grace can provide to those who have no merits. Paul had already showed that all people, of whatever piety, are without merit, and need a free justification if they are to be saved. A justification that needs to be completed by the recipient is no resting place.

Sproul, R.C. Justification and Merit. The Reformation Study Bible. Orlando: Ligonier Ministries. 2005. 1695

"Quote" of the Week

"A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified." Galatians 2:16

LESSON 5: THE BATTLE AGAINST HERESY

As Christianity grew during the 2nd and 3rd centuries, various groups broke from the church and altered the orthodox teachings of the Christian faith. Below are three of the most prominent heretical belief systems from this time period.

i. Gnosticism

Gnosticism was a large movement that gained a lot of ground in the early centuries of the Christian faith. Gnostics believed that they possessed a mystical knowledge that was reserved for those with true understanding. They believed that this knowledge was the key to salvation.

They also believed that matter is evil and spirit is good. Therefore, the goal of Gnosticism was to escape from the body and material world to which one was exiled. As a result, they denied the incarnation, that teaches that Christ came to earth and took on flesh.

ii. Marcionism ( AD 137)

Marcion, whose father was a bishop, was familiar with the beliefs and practices of the Christian faith. He, however, developed an understanding of Christianity that was both anti-Jewish and anti-material. In an attempt to make Christianity more acceptable with Greek thought, Marcion rationalized it cutting it loose from its Jewish heritage. He also started a church with his own bishops that taught from his own version of Scripture. His church rivaled many orthodox churches.

Marcion believed that because the world is evil, its creator must also be evil. He also taught that Jehovah, the evil creator and God of the Old Testament, disobeyed the Father who wanted a strictly spiritual world. Jehovah’s disobedience involved creating a world made up of human beings and matter. Marcion also believed and taught that against Jehovah and far above him is the God of the Christians who is a loving God not seeking strict obedience from his followers but desires for his love to be reciprocated. Marcion often spoke against judgment and wrath because he believed God to be a loving God who would simply forgive all injustices.

He also believed that because the Old Testament contained the words of an inferior God, it must not be read, nor should any other Jewish book in the New Testament. This resulted in him compiling his own list of books. His list included the epistles of Paul and the Gospel of Luke, although he omitted any reference made by Paul or Luke from the Old Testament claiming they had been added. He also either rejected or radically reinterpreted the doctrines of creation, the incarnation, and the resurrection.

iii. Montanism (AD 170s)

In the AD 170s, a Christian leader by the name of Montanus claimed to have new revelation from God. He and his followers claimed that their teachings and prophesies either fulfilled or superseded that of the Apostles. This group also had an unorthodox view of the Trinity. Montanists were modalists, meaning that they did not believe that God was one in essence and three in person, but one in essence and in person who existed in different manifestations throughout history.

THE EVANGELICAL RESPONSE

These controversies forced the church to clarify its beliefs. The two primary ways the church did this was by forming the cannon and writing the “Apostles’ Creed."

i. The Formation of the Canon

Against Marcion and the Gnostics, the church reaffirmed the books of the Old Testament and what should and should not be included in the New Testament. They also wanted to demonstrate to the Montanists that biblical revelation is closed. Although Marcion's list was the first, it is important to understand that there were a large number of books already circulating that were believed to be inspired by God. In other words, the books of the Bible are not given authority from the church, but are recognized as authoritative by the church. Evidence for this is the fact that Marcion had to omit books from his list, which made him an extremely controversial figure.

ii. The Writing of the Apostles’ Creed

The writing of the “Apostles’ Creed” was another way the church responded against heresy. This profession of faith set the church apart from heretical groups like the Gnostics, Marcions, and Montanists. This Creed was written from a list of questions that would often be asked to candidates for baptism. Below is a sample of what might be heard prior to baptism in the second and third century.

Do you believe in God the Father almighty?
Do you believe in Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who was born of the Holy Ghost and of Mary the virgin, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and died, and rose again at the third day, living from among the dead, and ascended unto heaven and sat at the right of the Father, and will come to judge the quick and the dead? Do you believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy church, and the resurrection of the flesh?

DEFENDERS OF ORTHODOXY

Because the church was facing false accusations and persecution by the pagans and due to the growing popularity of these various heretical groups during the 2nd and 3rd centuries, many believers felt a need to defend the Christian faith. Various apologists (those who explain and/or defend Christianity) from the 2nd and 3rd centuries are shown below.

i. Justin Martyr (AD 100-165)

Justin taught Christian philosophy in Rome and addressed the ridiculous accusations made by Pagans against Christianity. A couple of these accusations were that Christian gatherings included sexually immoral practices and cannibalism taking literally the wording used during the Eucharist. Justin's boldness resulted in him being arrested and killed by Marcus Aurelius in AD 165.

ii. Iranaeus of Lyons (AD 140-202)

Iranaeus was a pastor who believed his primary role was to equipp believers and refute heresy. When refuting Gnosticism, he taught that God is a loving being who does not create the world and humankind out of necessity nor by mistake— as Gnostics claimed—but out of a desire to have a creation to love and to lead. He also repeatedly taught that God is in the process of redeeming humanity and making his people more like himself.

iii. Clement of Alexandria (AD 150-215)

Clement was born in Athens and was raised by pagans. He was not a pastor, but rather a thinker and a searcher. He said that what the Old Testament was for the Jews, Greek Philosophy was for the Gentiles. He believed that partial truth could be found in the Philosophical teachings of philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. Clement created a Christian philosophy of such depth and detail that many pagans had difficulty refuting it.

iv. Tertullian (AD 160-225)

Tertullian believed, unlike Clement, that pagan philosophy and Christianity were completely incompatible. He taught that pagan philosophy is the source of all kinds of heresy. He thought that if a philosopher was to come to Christ, he would have to completely abandon his old beliefs. He also thought speculation was a waste of time. In fact, he taught that a Christian who is still searching for further truth lacks faith.

v. Origen (AD 185-254)

Origen was Clement’s greatest disciple, and also believed that philosophy and Christianity were compatible. He taught many pagans and was thought to enlighten them. He was very aware of the danger of abandoning Christian doctrine in favor of the teachings of the philosophers. He taught, “Nothing which is at variance with the tradition of the apostles and of the church is to be accepted as true.” He was tortured so severely for his boldness that he died shortly after his release in AD 254.

“NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN”

Just because Gnostisim, Marcionism and Montanism are not currently threatening the integrity of the Christian faith, does not mean that there are not similar heretical and anti-Christian beliefs that presently exist. King Solomon once wrote, “There is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, ‘See, this is new?’ It has been already in the ages before us” (Ecc. 1:9-10).

Below I have listed several general characteristics of cults that currently exist and have shown how the three main heretical groups of the 2nd and 3rd century also match these descriptions. The outline I use can be found in Dr. Stan May’s (Professor of Missions at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary) notes on The World Religions.

1) Charismatic Leader-Sole Authority Figure
- Marcionism and Montanism
2) Extrabiblical Revelation
- Montanism
3) Criticism of others
- All three think their way is right and all others are wrong.
4) Redefinition of terms
- All three use biblical language but differ from the Christian faith when defining these terms.
5) Deny the Biblical View of Christ and/or bodily resurrection
- Gnostism and Marcionism
6) Reject parts or the whole of Scripture
- All three (Parts)
7) Salvation is works-based
- Montanism
8) Deny the Biblical View of the Trinity
- Montanism

Today many people are being led away from churches into the hands of anti-Christian cults because they are ignorant of the biblical and historical teachings of the Christian faith. As a result, they are unable to differentiate between orthodox Christianity and anti- Christian beliefs and practices.

May our church leaders become more like that of Iranaeus who devoted his entire ministry to equipping believers and refuting heresy. Also, may we as believers learn the biblical and historical teachings of the Christian faith to avoid being carried away by any and every wind of doctrine (Eph. 4:14).

"Quote" of the Week

"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." Ephesians 4:11-14

LESSON 4: GOD'S GLORY IS NOT TO BE GIVEN TO ANOTHER

Our God is a jealous God who alone is worthy of our worship. God is clear when He says, "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols” (Isa. 42:8). Because God uses people to accomplish His purposes, we too are not to give His glory to another. Every believer should have this growing desire within them to bring God glory and to make His glory known no matter the cost.

That was the attitude of many Christians in the second century. Their actions resulted in them being persecuted and even put to death. My prayer is that their stories would convict us of how little we risk for the glory of God and motivate us to bring Him glory no matter the cost. Below I have summarized two periods of persecution and two prominent Christians, from the second century, who suffered for the cause of Christ.

PERSECUTION UNDER PLINY AND TRAJAN

Pliny the Younger was appointed governor of Bithynia in AD 111. He did not approve of the Christian faith because it was negatively affecting the proceeds from paganism. The Pagan temples were becoming deserted and the sellers of sacrificial victims were finding few buyers. Pliny began to gather up all the so-called Christians and commanded them to pray to the pagan gods, burn incense before the image of the emperor, and curse Christ, because he had heard that this was something true Christians would never do. If they refused, he would execute them.

Considering himself a just man, however, Pliny began to question whether Christians should be arrested simply for calling themselves “Christian.” After seeking the council of Trajan, Pliny reasoned that since they were not committing any crime against society or against the state, the resources of the state should not be used to seek them out. However, if they were arrested for another reason and refused to recant, they were to be executed. This resulted in pagan mobs forming and falsely accusing prominent Christians of crimes to have them tried and executed.

PERSECUTION UNDER MARCUS AURELIUS

Marcus Aurelius became emperor in AD 161. He found the stubbornness of Christians most offensive. He respected those willing to die for their beliefs if they were reasonable, but believed that the Christian faith was illogical and viewed Christians as being motivated by irrational stubbornness. Many Christians died for their faith during Aurelius’ reign. We do not know how many died, but are told that at one place the number of Christians being held awaiting execution was so numerous that many died of suffocation before the executioners could get to them.

THE MARTYRDOM OF IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH

One of the first known martyrs of the second century was Ignatius of Antioch. He was well known in the Christian community because he was the bishop (second after the apostles) at Antioch (the prominent church from the book of Acts). He was sentenced to die by Trajan and was killed in AD 107. Before his death, many considered rescuing Ignatius, but he wrote and told them that his purpose was to be an imitator of the passion of Christ. He said, “When I suffer, I shall be free in Jesus Christ, and with him shall rise again in freedom.” He was sentenced to die in the coliseum and was eaten by lions.

THE MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP

A younger friend of Ignatius and another disciple of John was Polycarp. He was another well known believer who was targeted by the pagan mob, arrested and brought to the coliseum. The account of Polycarp's death is well documented.

He was brought before the people and the pagan mob began to shout “Out with the atheists.” In response, Polycarp points to the crowd saying, “Yes, out with the atheists!” The judge then commanded Polycarp to swear by the emperor and curse Christ and he would be free to go. Polycarp said, “For eighty-six years I have served him, and he has done me no evil. How could I curse my king, who saved me?” They then threatened to burn him alive to which Polycarp responded, “(My) fire will only last for a moment, but the fire of judgment will be eternal.” He was burned at the stake, but before he died, he prayed, “Lord Sovereign God…I thank you that you have deemed me worthy of this moment, so that, jointly with your martyrs, I may have a share in the cup of Christ…For this…I bless and glorify you. Amen.”

APPLICATION FOR TODAY

First, we as Christians should not view the deaths of Ignatius and Polycarp as tragic. These men lived full lives for the cause of Christ and their eternal reward is great. We often equate a good life with a long life, which is not true according to Scripture. The fullest life ever lived was that of our savior Jesus Christ. The true tragedy in the second century were the actions of the emperors and the beliefs and practices of the pagans. Polycarp made this point by stating that his physical death would not compare to the spiritual death that awaits all the unregenerate. May we seek not a long life, but a full life like our Lord.

It is also important for us to understand that the actions of these early Christians were not motivated by irrational stubbornness like the second century emperors claimed. The faith that the Bible teaches isn’t opposed to reason and isn’t ignorant belief in something that has been proven false. Faith in Jesus Christ is a thoughtful, passionate, and moral commitment to a truth that stands up under the scrutiny of the mind, the heart, and the conscience.

Lastly, because these Christians were convinced of the truthfulness of the Christian faith, they put their life on the line because they knew, from God’s word, that His glory is to be valued more than life itself. A problem in our country is that we tend to risk very little for the glory of God. Our lives are not on the line, but we still refuse to make His glory known for the sake of family ties, friendships, social status etc. Like I said before, as believers we should have a growing desire within us to bring God glory and to make His glory known no matter the cost.

Do you mean what you say when you tell God that you want Him to be glorified in you more than anything? My prayer is that what you do for God will give validity to what you say about him and to him.

"Quote" of the Week

"Man's chief end (the purpose for which man is made) is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever." -The Shorter Catechism

LESSON 3: THE COSTLY CALL

Being a follower of Christ has never been easy. During His earthly ministry, Jesus assured His disciples that they would be persecuted for His sake. He says,

"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name...You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death" (Lk. 21:12-19).

This hostility toward Christ and His followers is an important element of Christian History. Below, I have listed two groups who were responsible for the persecution that took place in the early church.

PERSECUTION BY THE JEWS

Even though the earliest Christians were Jewish, they often suffered imprisonment and death by their own people because their belief system was thought to be in conflict with what was taught by the law and the prophets. What the Jewish Christians taught, however, was that Christ was the fulfillment of what was promised to Abraham in Genesis 12. During His earthly ministry, Jesus assured his hearers that he did not come to introduce new ideas that were contrary to Scripture. Jesus teaches, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Mt. 5:17).

Although the Jewish people held the Scriptures in high regard, they believed that within them was a formula for achieving salvation. What the Jewish Christians taught, however, was that the Scriptures demonstrate the sinfulness of man and the need for a Savior. Jesus also criticized this reasoning saying, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me” (John 5:39).

The early Christians did not call for Jews to abandon their beliefs, but to embrace the fact that Jesus is the Messiah promised from the Old Testament. This was a "stumbling block" to the Jews (1 Cor. 1:23) who could not accept the fact that the promised Messiah came from humble beginnings, was crucified and had come under the divine curse for mankind.

PERSECUTION BY THE ROMANS

i. Nero

Nero began his rule in October of AD 54. He had dreams of greatness, but was despised by his people. On June 18, of AD 64, a great fire broke out in Rome. Rumors began to circulate and still exist to this day that Nero made an attempt to burn Rome to the ground so he could rebuild it the way he wanted.

At this time, there were a large number of Christian communities that had not been affected by the fire. Nero placed the blame on these Christians, which was well received by many Romans who thought Christians hated mankind. Nero had Christians killed by dogs, crucified and even had many set on fire in the evenings to illuminate the city. Both the Apostles Peter and Paul were thought to be killed during Nero’s reign.

ii. Domitian

It is not clear why Domitian persecuted Christians, but many think it was because of their rejection of the Roman god’s and the Roman traditions that were mixed with pagan worship. During Domitian’s reign, John was persecuted and exiled to Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelation. Like Nero, Domitian was seen as a tyrant. His enemies ended up conspiring against him and murdering him in his sleep.

Whereas the Jews persecuted Christians due to their misunderstanding of the person and work of Christ; Romans persecuted Christians because they misunderstood the rationale behind the actions of believers. Christian activity remained separate from Roman activity, not because of hatred toward mankind but out of obedience to God’s word. For example, Christians could not worship Roman god’s because God clearly says in His word, “Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves. I am the LORD your God” (Lev. 19:4).

APPLICATION FOR TODAY

There are two important points of application that should be made when discussing the costly call of following Christ. First, is the fact that even though God's opposition is always present, He works within seemingly tragic circumstances to accomplish His purposes. Although God was not responsible for the persecution of His own people, He knew it was going to happen, to whom it would happen (Luke 21:12-19) and what He was going to do about it.

After Stephen was stoned, persecution intensified forcing believers out of Jerusalem. Luke then records in Act 8:4, "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went" (Acts 8:4). God used this persecution to force believers to go out from Jerusalem and make Him known. Roman persecution had a similar result in that it did not stop Christianity, but helped it spread.

The second point of application is that in order to be Jesus' disciples we have to be willing to follow Him no matter the cost. Jesus said in Luke 14:27, "Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Although many of us in this country will never have to experience the kind of persecution we have discussed, the willingness to endure sacrifice for the sake of Christ should never be far from our thinking. No cost is too high in the service of the One who laid down His life to purchase our eternal salvation.

Although this Christian journey is challenging, the present difficulties do not compare to the blessed hope that awaits every believer. Paul affirms, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Cor. 4:16-17).

"Quote" of the Week

"Christians are the possessors and heirs of something real, substantial, and worthy to be called riches. The things they possess are excellent, more precious than gold and rubies. All the desirable things of this world cannot equal them." -Jonathan Edwards