Blog In Audio:
Greetings,
In the early 1500’s there was a Reformation in the Church. The grace of the Spirit of the Lord and a revelation of justification by faith was released into the earth. Martin Luther took a stand for reformation in the church with the posting of his thesis on October 31, 1517. I believe that reformation laid hold of in 1517 was not merely a reformation of that day. I believe that it opened the door to the increasing reformation in the church. The church is the gate of heaven in the earth, and it is through the church that the influencing power of true revolution and reformation is released into the earth. “The just live by faith” is still a resounding testimony in the nations. We can all experience the increasing fruit and testimony of the desire of the nations. We have been granted the power of repentance unto life and a testimony of repentance from dead works in Christ.
When God releases a revelation of grace, that revelation grows in the successive generations. Lightning strikes and a testimony of thunder is heard. Thunder is heard and it causes the established earth of the past to quake and the earth experiences change. That change becomes an increasing sound in the earth that others can find with further and deeper understanding in the future. I believe that the grace of repentance unto life, a justification by faith, can be understood today in an even greater measure than in the foundation given though the reformation of Martin Luther.
The teachings of Martin Luther are often summarized in what is called the Five Solas that set the foundation for the doctrine of the just live by faith. I want to address one of those today. This is Sola Scritura (Scripture Alone). This is defined as: The Bible is the sole, ultimate authority for faith and practice. No pope, tradition, or council stands above it. Martin Luther taught this belief as a reaction to the ways of the universal church (the Catholic church) that had added many traditions and placed many conditions upon the church that created a structure of hierarchal authority. Martin Luther sought to simplify the understanding of God and the foundations for true faith. The church had become a system of clergy and laity. The clergy were those educated in the understanding of the things of God and the laity were the uneducated, unlearned, and dependent masses that were vulnerable to complications placed upon them by a few that found their pride and identify in religious superiority. That clergy/laity system had created a gospel of fear and control, and the grace of the Spirit of the Lord was inspiring Martin Luther and others to know the freedom of knowing the love of God.
I embrace the need for Scripture Alone to understand God’s voice. Unfortunately, this foundation has led to some interpretation that the rule of faith is the Scripture. I believe that the rule of faith is the voice of God to our hearts. Faith comes by hearing God’s voice within us. I believe that the Scripture is essential to our understanding of the voice of God to our hearts. I don’t believe that the Scripture is the ultimate authority for faith and practice. Surely no pope, tradition, or council stands above the authority of the Scripture as a witness to the voice of God, but the Scripture is not our rule of faith. Holy Spirit is the voice of God in our hearts that empowers each of us to be obedient to the faith.
John 5:39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
Jesus told the Pharisees that the Scriptures were a witness to Him. The voice that gives us faith is the voice of Holy Spirit to our hearts. Holy Spirit is the testimony of Jesus within us and to us. The fruit of hearing God is faith. The rule of our faith comes by hearing God. Our obedience is to Him, not merely His written word. This is obedience to God’s personal word spoken to each person’s heart. The Scripture is a witness to the voice of God, but Holy Spirit is our teacher.
1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
The study of Scripture is most important to know the character, nature, way, power, and authority of God to properly discern that we are hearing Holy Spirit and hearing Holy Spirit correctly in our lives. Without an understanding of the principles, patterns, and values found in Scripture we are vulnerable to misinterpret God’s voice to our hearts or even fall for a deceiving voice that we believe to be the words of God. Without Scripture we are not able to be taught by God in a way that brings stability to our understanding of God’s voice to us. For the just to live by faith, we cannot depend upon any controlling authority of a pope, tradition or some other external council. The authority to understanding God’s voice to us is found in Scripture but the Scripture is not our teacher. It is a witness to the voice of our teacher. Our teacher is Holy Spirit and by His authority we are justified by faith. We can know God’s love, and we are granted life within by Christ in us. This brings change to our lives by a change in the desires of our hearts. True repentance is not a discipline of our flesh. It is a transformation of our hearts and minds that comes by a work of the Spirit of the Lord within us.
Food For Thought,
Ted J. Hanson
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