After Darkness, Light

July 12, 2007

Wittenberg Castle Church DoorWhy “After Darkness, Light?

On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed 95 theses on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church. These theses were highly critical of the Roman Catholic church’s system of indulgences for the forgiveness of sins, and they signaled the beginning of the Protestant Reformation (although Luther was by no means the first to challenge Rome - see Hus and Wycliffe). At the heart of this Reformation was the rediscovery of the Biblical gospel. The righteousness that God required of man, Luther discovered, was a passive righteousness, a righteousness that wasn’t earned for good works, but freely given to all who trust in Christ. Christ’s righteousness is credited to the believer, not earned by the believer.

The rediscovery of this simple truth changed the course of history. The motto of the Reformation became Post Tenebras Lux (after darkness, light).

Luther said, “It is very hard for a man to believe that God is gracious to him. The human heart can’t grasp this.” For centuries, the church could not grasp it either.

The blog title refers to the great gospel truths recovered in the Reformation, but also to the true light of the world who comes to us in our darkness.

John 1:9-14 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Posted by Aaron | Filed Under Blog, Theology 

Comments

2 Responses to “After Darkness, Light”

  1. chrissiek on July 23rd, 2007 4:55 pm

    Well, I see that you want to try to attribute the name of the site to the Reformation, but I distinctly remember giving you a mixed CD last summer with that same title - and my lawyers can prove it. I demand 10% or all profits from your website as settlement for this clear copyright infraction. - Mr. Matthew Koerber

  2. wckriner on July 25th, 2007 11:25 am

    It seems to me that unless MK had the right to copy the “mixed CD” he would be hard pressed to pursue his demand. Pastors involved in legal matters is never a good thing…there is merit in the separation of church and state!

    PS—Is the administrator of this site close to completing his “postponed” article?

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