“Happy Reformation Day (Love Each Other)!

“Happy Reformation Day(Love Each Other!”(Jn.15:9-17).
The day was 31st October 1517. Rev Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses on the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.
Luther’s theses was a call for an academic discourse on the rightful use of scriptures in the practice of Christianity. The theses is however seen to be what sparked and ignited the flames of Protestant Reformation which has spread like a wildfire.
This wildfire keeps spreading and burning because the church affirms that “Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda” – meaning, “the church reformed, always being reformed,” according to the Word of God and the call of the Spirit.
One great lesson from the Reformation is the importance of individual freedom and there is need for action, when such freedom becomes restricted.
Since Luther, each move away from a main line church is a cut from the shackles of the suppression of human freedom.
The Reformation gave birth to the Counter-Reformation which was the realisation that even though the Reformation was challenged and opposed, there was need to look within and correct those things that were done incorrectly from within.
As it is, in any quarell the insults may be painful, but contains elements of truth – which has to be worked upon for autocorrection. In other words, there is always a reason to be thankful to those who walk away from us; not because we can now be happy without them, but because they pointed out our weaknesses which had become the norm.
Therefore, whether they are with us or no longer with us there should be no love lost between us since the insults we trade become eye-openers helping us to reform or counter reform. By so doing, the One body of Christ becomes stronger together by being different.
The Reformation was a Clarion call to revisiting Jesus’ command: “Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends…I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”
In this spirit of love let us remind ourselves of just theses 92-95.
92: And so let all those prophets depart who say to Christ’s people ‘Peace, peace’ and there is no peace.
93: And farewell to all those prophets who say to Christ’s people ‘the cross, the cross’ and there is no cross.
94: Christians are to be exhorted to endeavour to follow Christ, their head, through pains, deaths, and hells.
95: And so let them trust to enter heaven rather through many tribulations than through the false confidence of peace.
This reminder is important for the Church reformed has to be constantly reformed, since today’s sales of indulgences has taken a different twist that has exaggeratedly commercialized the body of Christ without commensurate spiritual upliftment of the Christians.
When love thrives we do not assure people of heaven by the sizes of their wallets. When love thrives we go to extremes to warn against the dangers of disobeying the command of Christ: Love each other!
Prayer: Holy Spirit lead me on the path of love. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.