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For a number of years I've been more inclined to pay attention to Reformation Day than to get too excited about the Halloween debates and candy--although I really like the candy.
No matter what you feel about Martin Luther, his story is a story of an imperfect man (as we all are) standing on what he believed to be right. I do know about his anti-Semitism--I say this because some of my friends might ask me, and I don't agree with that. But as I said--none of us are perfected on this earth. I also know my Catholic friends are not fond of him. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say, "I admire him." We would not, I think, have our Bible in our language (or at least in German) without his contributions and his courage though I do not agree with every one of his stands.
Reformation Day focuses on the day he tacked his 99 Thesis on the door of Castle Church in Wittenburg, my thoughts this year focus on a different 'imperfection' of Luther--legalism. How I'm thinking about this is not in my typical thought pattern either. As a Catholic monk, Luther was one of the best. He took his faith seriously. The subject of the 31st of October are his objections to the sales of indulgences and the abuses and deception of people for profit by the church.
As a monk, before this, his greatest struggle came with the confession. His legalism was a cross against himself. Luther would search his heart for anything which might have been displeasing to God, go to confession with those things; then, go half way down the hallway only to turn around and go back with more he had forgotten. The job was never-ending to him, and it would be to us if we took it seriously. Even the priest hearing confessions would urge Luther to come to confessional with things more severe. Most of us today would tell the guy to lighten up--even those of us in the Church. Luther tortured himself with this; sometimes even physically. He came to the realization that we can never confess enough of our sin. There are always things we hide from ourselves or justify or don't really consider wrong or whatever else we do to feel better. The thing he had right was our God is holy and cannot look on sin, so if something is left unconfessed, no matter how small, it leaves us separated from God. (Isaiah 59:1-3, and others)
But God also knows this, and His plan is better than ours:
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 10:9 That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Ephesians 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Please don't misunderstand me. Confession is still important. Without it we are pride-filled idiots. ...and 1 John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us. Confession keeps our hearts humble. However, we have been freed from the idea of self-flagellation over our own sin. Christ died and rose, so we could be free from all that--so we can be His--right now, right here. We just need to believe and follow Him.
So Happy Hallowed Eve, and Happy Reformation day. Enjoy reading your Bible. Thank you, Martin. Thank you, God.