It was October 31, and a solitary costumed figure made his way through the darkening city streets until he reached the side door of one of the local churches. He looked around, but ignoring the questioning looks of passers-by, he reached into his robes, and drew out a heavy hammer. While one hand held the points of iron nails against the door, the other swung the hammer forcefully, driving the nails deep into the heavy wood.
It wasn’t an act of Halloween vandalism. The door served as a public bulletin board for the people of Wittenberg, Germany, and the man pounding the nails into the door was posting a notice inviting a debate over some of the Church’s teachings and practices.
It was All-Hallowed Eve of 1517, and the man doing the nailing was a Catholic monk and priest by the name of Martin Luther. He chose that day to post his “Ninety-five Theses” because the next day, known as All Saints Day, would draw many people to the church for worship, including those theologians he wanted to debate.
That event is considered the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, because the questions he asked and the arguments he subsequently made, spread quickly and convinced many Christians of the need to reform the Church’s teachings, especially about what a person must do to be saved.
His teachings are just as important to us today as they were then, and are especially critical for anyone who is searching for the right relationship with God. Luther’s key teachings are the following:
- We are all sinners, deserving God’s just punishment, and are unable to save ourselves, no matter how good we try to be.
- God loves us and does not desire for us to come under his judgment, so he sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to take our sins upon himself and pay our penalty on the Cross.
- We are saved from death and brought to eternal life by God’s grace (that is, his unmerited favor) solely through our faith and trust in Christ and in what Christ did.
- Freely forgiven, we are now able to do the good works which God desires us to do, serving each other andthose in need with Christian love.
- The Holy Bible is the authority, above all other writings or earthly teachers, for our faith and life.
What Luther did 501 years ago today opened once again for all the world the good news of what God has done for us, how through trusting alone in Jesus Christ for our salvation, we can have the peace of knowing we are right with God. And that has to be the best Halloween treat ever given!
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
Read: Psalm 46 (the inspiration for A Mighty Fortress), Romans 1:16-17, Ephesians 2:8-10, and Romans 3:20-28.
(I wrote this article originally for the Pastor’s Corner column in the Elk Grove Citizen, which appeared on Friday, October 31, 2003. I updated the number of “years ago” in today’s blog to reflect 2018.)