How will your church celebrate the Reformation?

Is that what I said?

 

That is about the stupidest reply I have seen, (almost).
When Luther discovered the scriptures in the university library, He was engrossed from the beginning and read as much as he could.

• 2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
• 3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

From the beginning of the reformation, from the time that Luther posted his thesis on the church door inviting people to come and debate them. (I don't know if it is recorded that anyone turned up) It was as if the message went into the world as a loud voice, so loud it shook the papal empire.

What happened next? The seven thunders uttered their voices. The Papal Bull, from the seven hills thundered against Luther and eventually excommunicated him. Luther was stunned He still thought the Pope was head of the church and considered the document.
(The book of Revelation is not only a symbolic book, it is also acted out by John, he represents the church throughout the book.)

• 4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

Luther must have prayed about that during the next month or so before he burnt the papal books and the Bull. By the time he burnt the Bull he had learnt the truth, and called the Bull "The execrable Bull of Antichrist." Others had learnt that before the reformation, Waldenses, Lollards, Hussites etc.

• Revelation 10:8-11 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
• 9And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
• 10And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
• 11And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

The little book, the New Testament was as sweet as honey to the reformers, but resulted in bitter tribulation.

• Psalms 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Luther testified before the emperor and princes, the English reformers testified before kings and queens, including queen Mary, and that was bitter to them.

 

It is not a man they are celebrating, it is a work of God. The fact that we have freedom to worship in many countries, including the USA is because of the reformation.

 

God does not enable pedobaptism and state religion which are serious hindrances to freedom of conscience.

Freedom of conscience is a Baptistic distinctive. They have been seriously persecuted for their stands on Baptism and State sponsored religion.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

Sounds like Mormon theology. They also claim that there was no one on the earth with the gospel (that the work of Jesus had failed for more than 1,000 years) and no true church, until an angel popped up in New York state to tell Joseph Smith, Jr., that he would restore the gospel to the earth.

I don't buy the Mormon story and I don't buy your interpretation of Revelation that asserts that the gospel of Jesus had failed.

 

God has ALWAYS had His remnant and they were not known by the name of any mortal man.

Romans 11
4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.


HankD

 

It won't

 

God uses all sorts of people, he may use even you or me.

 

My church will not be celebrating it. Never has never will.

 

There were two miracles in the early 16th century'

One was the reformation when the bible was set free from Rome
The second was the miracle of printing which distributed it.

Can anyone tell me who the Baptists were immediately before the reformation?

 

Why?

HankD