On 31 October 1517 Dr Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis, which contained his concerns that he had with Roman Catholicism, to the church doors of Wittenberg. This act gave momentum to one of the most powerful revivals in church history. It was a call back to the authority of the Word of God.
We tend to focus a lot on the theological impact of this move of God. There is however the spiritual battle that Luther had to face in the whole process. He had to stand against the forces of darkness, manifested in Roman Catholicism, and proclaim that we are saved by grace alone (Sola Gratia), through faith alone (Sola Fide), by Jesus Christ alone (Solus Christos or Solo Christo), based on the authority of the Scriptures alone (Sola Scriptura) and to God alone be the glory (Soli Deo Gloria).
We see the battle in his soul in his prayer the night before the final hearing before the Diet of Worms. In this prayer Luther’s thoughts expresses a deep faith in God, although the anguish of the moment is clearly felt. Through this he acknowledges that this is the moment in history for which God called and prepared him.
Read his prayer to see and “feel” the battle that was raged for the truth. At the age of 34 he had the courage to stand up to the mighty Roman Catholic cult and 4 years later in 1521 he had to face the jaws of death for what he believed to be the truth.
We look back at this and kneel down before our God in heaven for raising up people like Luther to stand for the truth. God said that the gates of hell will not prevail against His kingdom. He uses mere mortal men, empowered by the Holy Spirit, committed to the Lord Jesus Christ, to display to the forces of darkness that He is God, and He alone. And although we thank God for men like Luther, we are struck by the sheer awesomeness of our God, the God who revealed Himself in Scriptures and in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is incomparable with any other; to Him be the glory for ever and ever; in Him is truth and life to be found. Therefore, as Paul aptly wrote:
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Romans 11:33-36)