Of First Importance
More than 500 years ago, a Catholic monk nailed a printed folio sheet to the door of a church in a German city called Wittenberg. His intention was to start a constructive dialogue to address papal abuses of power, not to spark a historically defining movement, break off from the Catholic church, or risk excommunication and danger. But in the years to follow, that is exactly what he did.
October 31 is commemorated as Reformation Day because Martin Luther published his 95 Theses on October 31, 1517, marking the start of the Protestant Reformation. The substance of the Theses was a criticism of the selling of indulgences, a way for people to pay money to shorten time spent in Purgatory. Luther stressed the importance of repentance as an inward, spiritual state, not an outward act to gain forgiveness. However, despite hoping for the church to receive his grievances and change internally, he met only opposition, ultimately leading to excommunication in 1521 for his refusal to recant.
How could Luther stand against the religious establishment of his day despite being labeled a heretic, opposed by the Pope, and forced into hiding? It is a similar question to the one we may pose of the apostles in the New Testament, who suffered persecution, rejection, and painful death: what could possibly drive them to lose every worldly comfort and measure of success? Likewise, we may also ask of Jesus: why endure the brutality of crucifixion? Why would the God of the universe choose to dwell on earth as “a man of sorrows [] acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3)?
Why? Because the gospel is true. Jesus went to the cross because our sin is truly deserving of God’s wrath, because his blood is truly sufficient to cover our unrighteousness, and because his resurrection truly means that anyone who believes in him has eternal life. Christ died because his work is true. The apostles suffered because their message was true.
And Luther persisted because he saw the radical, precious truth of the gospel. Whether or not you agree with the particulars of Luther’s theology, he was clearly committed to preserving the good news. He called for a return to the doctrine of sola gratia, salvation by grace alone. He believed our redemption and reconciliation to God can only be achieved by the divinely granted grace of Jesus’s perfect righteousness on our account, not by our own effort or good deeds (Ephesians 2:4-9). Therefore, preaching anything that detracts from the gracious work of Christ conceals the saving truth of the gospel.
Scripture affirms the primacy of the gospel—the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins of all who believe in him. Paul deems it to be “of first importance” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Peter writes that the “good news” of the gospel “remains forever” (1 Peter 1:25). It is crucial that we believe, defend, and preach the true gospel.
Notably, Paul also expresses his desire “to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” (Romans 1:15) in his letter to the Roman church—in other words, to believers. The good news of Jesus’s free grace of righteousness is not only an evangelistic message to save the lost, but the bedrock of our ongoing faith. I derive little peace from the prospect of gaining God’s acceptance through my own merit, no matter how small a contribution. If my continued favor before God depends on my adherence to a Bible reading plan or a consistent schedule of prayer, I will ultimately fail. But the complete righteousness of Christ, counted as mine, frees me from fear, shame, and guilt.
Luther, like me, was flawed. He was prone to harsh insults, a fiery temper, and sadly, anti-Semitic remarks. I do not agree with all of his theological views, nor do I seek to imitate his negative qualities. But he also saw the beauty of the gospel and its promise of salvation and freedom.
Reformation Day—October 31—recalls the anniversary of Luther’s 95 Theses as the start of the Protestant Reformation. Yet more broadly, let us take it as a present reminder of the importance of the gospel.
Ashley Kim is a freshman in Columbia College majoring in English.