I Believe in Continuing the Reformation Movement Daily

Tomorrow is July 31 which happens to be the feast day (and death anniversary) of Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order. Both Ignatius of Loyola and John Calvin once went to the University of Paris together. While they used to be schoolmates but the two became opponents throughout their lives. Loyola founded the Jesuits as part of the Counter-Reformation and Calvin continued the Reformation. Some may say that Calvin was the one who introduced Reformation Theology which is also called Calvinism. Reformed Theologians would later be founders of schools, universities, hymn writers and the Puritans (a group of Reformed thinkers) to rival the Jesuit institutions also became responsible for the translation of what's commonly known as the King James Bible. 

My key verse for continuing the Reformation is Romans 12:1-3 which says:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Reformation is the way back to true Christianity. The renewing of one's mind happens at a daily basis. After salvation, it's time for sanctification. Romans 3:31, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 2:8-10 and Titus 2:11-14 say that salvation results to a changed life. Any idea that salvation doesn't result to good works is against the very idea of Reformed Theology. Though the Reformers insisted that salvation is by faith alone but it's definitely not by a faith that's alone. It's biblical to say that though salvation is not by works but it results to good works. Any faith devoid of works is a sham faith as James 2:14-18 warns about how a dead faith is not saving faith. 

In the next few paragraphs, I'll be quoting from "The Gospel According to Jesus" by John F. MacArthur of Grace To You. I have found several statements about what the Reformers verified about faith and works the biblical way.

One of the greatest statements that Martin Luther wrote was this:

When we have thus taught faith in Christ, then do we also teach good works. Because thou hast laid upon Christ by faith, though whom thou art made righteous, begin now to work well. Love God and thy neighbor, call upon God, give thanks to Him, praise Him, confess Him. Do good to thy neighbor and serve Him: fulfill thine office. THese are good works indeed which flow out of faith.

Philip Melanchthon, Luther's associate also wrote:

It must be obvious that if conversion to God does not happen, and the heart continues in sin against conscience, that there is no true faith that desires or receives forgiveness of sins. The Holy Spirit is not in a heart in which there is no fear of God but instead a continuing defiance. As clearly expressed, I Corinthians 6:9, "Whores, adulterers, etc. will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven."

Calvin wrote this against Cardinal Jacopo Sadoleto in a debate saying:

We deny that good works have any share in justification but we claim full authority over them in the lives of the righteous... It is obvious that gratuitous [grace-wrought] righteousness is necessarily connected with regeneration. Therefore, if you would duly understand how inseparable faith and works are, look to Christ, who, as the Apostle teaches (1 Cor. 1:30) has given to us for justification and for sanctification. Whenever therefore, that righteousness of faith, which we maintain to be gratuitous is there too Christ is, and where Christ is, there too is the Spirit of holiness, who regenerates the soul in newness of life. On the contrary, where zeal for integrity and holiness is not vigor, there neither is the Spirit of Christ nor Christ Himself; and wherever Christ is not, there is no righteousness, nay, there is no faith, for faith cannot apprehend Christ for righteousness without the Spirit of sanctification.

The Reformation also handled five biblical truths namely Scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, in Christ alone and glory to God alone. To say Scripture alone isn't refuting or that there was no Bible until a certain time is something. If the apostles never carried a Bible then don't tell me they didn't carry the Old Testament canon with them. Until a new revelation was added, it was always warned to never add anything to what God has revealed. Even if the Bible wasn't complete yet but nobody had the right to add anything to the Word of God. Besides, Sola Scriptura was affirmed not destroyed with this verse as 2 Thessalonians 2:15 says in the King James Version, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle."

Roman Catholics insist that 2 Thessalonians 2:15 justifies their traditions while hypocritically quoting Mark 7:8-9 to demolish born again Christian tradition. May I emphasize that the Good News Bible which is one of their approved translations says it as, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and keep the instructions, which ye have been taught, either by word, or by our Epistle." The source of Christian tradition also come from the Epistles or by their word. Anything that didn't come from apostolic writing such as praying to Mary, the Rosary or priestly celibacy (which they misquote 1 Corinthians 7:32-35) because the Bible commands in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 that church leaders are to be married. Leviticus 21:13 demands that the Old Testament priests were to be married. Yet they still misquote 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 to justify the unbiblical tradition of celibate priests.

Today's Counter-Reformation movement now happens in the form of "tolerance" for false religions. In the past, Roman Catholics have continuously considered those they labeled as "Protestants" (and they have erroneously lumped them with anti-Catholic cults) as heretics but are now considered as separated brethren. It made me withdraw support from many preachers like Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, Joel Osteen, Paul Crouch, Robert Schuller, Rick Warren and many more because they were supporting the Vatican as they counted Roman Catholics as their brothers and sisters in Christ. The moment John Paul II called Graham his "brother in Christ" was not only a shock to some die-hard Roman Catholics but also to me. The whole program of tolerance now seeks to label anyone who speaks against false religions as an intolerant bigots. 

The truth can only offend those who live a lie. Why do so many people hate born again Christians? It's because they don't accept the truth and they want to keep believing in the lies that they accept as truth. They think that we should just respect everyone's religions. I remembered many people telling me I should just be tolerant towards every religion. Worse, they even think that I'm already a terrorist for simply addressing the truth. It's always a bigger problem when love for others and tolerance for certain sins are confused to be one and the same. That's why the "love" gospel is not really love. Jesus loves the lost sinner so much He'd tell the truth as it should be told. 

Radical Christians love people enough to tell them the plain and honest truth even if it means persecution or even death. It's always been that Christians will choose Jesus over everything, do good even when others don't and to continue in God's Word even when others won't. That's exactly why I believe in continuing the Reformation Movement in a daily basis by preaching the Gospel as it should be preached.