My 100th post!

Six years and two months – exactly – after starting this blog, I’ve finally reached this milestone. [I would like to thank the academy, and my agent, and my parents…]

I really only started this blog to help market my book, but this blog has come a long way since my first post. I can’t say there all gems, there were a few duds among them, but on the whole, I’ve had a lot of fun. Granted, most of the spiritual applications I tend to make are kind of similar. I have a lot to say about salvation and sanctification. Also, within the course of two years, I happened to make the same exact point in two different blog posts. Embarrassing!

Even as I’ve made mis-steps, I’ve tried to keep from straying off of my foundation. The ABCs if you will: Authority of God, Biblical Truth, and the Church.

Speaking of the church. There’s another milestone I’m celebrating today, a far bigger one than my blog. Today is Reformation Day.

Four hundred and ninety-nine years ago, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, the “Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences,” on a church door in Wittenberg. Written in Latin, he meant it to start be an civil debate about the Pope’s sale of forgiveness through indulgences. It was reprinted in German so that the everyday person could read it.

The Protestant Reformation refers to a
particular historical movement.
Yet the work of reformation will never be complete—
neither in us nor in the church—
until Jesus returns. – Jeff Robinson

Luther had based his disagreement on (brace yourselves) the authority of Scripture — not the Pope. He stated that forgiveness came through faith alone, not good works. The idea!

Luther thought it would be an academic discussion, but as his writings were distributed throughout Germany they sparked the Protestant Reformation. The Reformers, Luther Calvin, Zwingli, Knox, and others were imperfect men, but they were at the forefront of this movement which would reshape Europe and Western culture. Luther’s 95 Theses were not the only cause of the Reformation, but it is widely regarded as one of the central causes.

Despite the disagreements among the Reformers – often bitter ones – the Reformation was founded on five principles. Not the ABCs like my blog, but the five solae of justification:

Sola Gratia – by Grace alone (Eph. 2:8-9)

Sola Fide – through Faith alone (Rom. 1:17)

Solus Christus – in Christ alone (John 14:6)

Sola Scriptura – according to Scripture alone (I Cor. 15:3-4)

Soli Deo Gloria – for the glory of God alone. (I Cor 10:31)

I don’t know what will happen in the next year, with me, with the blog, with culture, with politics and religion. I do know that the five solae will continue to be the foundation I build my religion on – because they proclaim the truth that salvation comes by believing in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

It’s not just about a milestone, it’s about the Cornerstone.

“The true treasure of the church is the most
holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.”
–  Martin Luther, thesis #62

Happy – happy, indeed! – Reformation Day.