“At last meditating day and night, by the mercy of God, I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that through which the righteous live by a gift of God, namely by faith. Here I felt as if I were entirely born again and had entered paradise itself through the gates that had been flung open.” (Martin Luther)

Martin Luther’s reformational breakthrough was at the core of the Gospel message: God gives us his righteousness as a gift, even though we do not deserve it.  His reformational breakthrough was just that- reformational!  It looked to the heart of the Gospel message and humanity, and brought us back to an authentic and biblically based faith.  It stripped away all the pretense and manmade rules, and brought us to the foot of the cross.  It points to Jesus as our Messiah, and recognizes that we can never substitute our own efforts for what Jesus already did.

It was a discovery that not only changed Martin Luther’s life, but changed the lives of every student he came into contact with, and many throughout time and history since.  To Martin Luther, and to all of us, it’s the difference between being a slave to a God who is condemning and harsh (whom we can never please) and being a beloved child of a merciful and gracious God.  It was impossible for Luther to enjoy the gift of life while he was imprisoned by his fears and guilt as God’s slave.  But, as a beloved child of God, he was set free to live and love and serve others out of his gratitude and the overflow of God’s goodness and compassion, which he experienced through Jesus.  Simply put, Martin Luther realized God loved him, not because he did anything or could ever do anything to earn that love, but because God chose to love him.  It’s the core of the Christian message.  It’s the basis of our faith. This kind of unconditional love is life-changing.  It recreates our image of ourselves and brings the out the best in each of us.

God’s love is an active, passionate, sacrificial and beautiful love.  It’s a powerful and transforming love.  Through God, we’re all family.  God asks only that we love God and each other in word, thought, and action.  Not to earn our righteousness or worthiness;  Christ earned our righteousness.  We are worthy, not because of anything we’ve done, but because God counts us worthy.  This causes us to want to do what is right, not because we have to, but out of a place of gratitude and overflow of love from within.  It positively transforms us and changes our world.

Luther’s reformational breakthrough matters to us today because it’s still a radical and transforming message straight from the heart of the Gospel.  Pure and simple, we know the same God Martin Luther encountered, so it’s no less true today than it was 500 years ago!  Read Romans 3:21-31, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally!

Annie

Today’s reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+3%3A21-31&version=NRSV

PS – Remember to wear red in celebration of  Reformation Sunday tomorrow.