Luther and the Reformation:
Right with God 
Martin Luther kick-started the Reformation by his posting of his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle church at Wittenberg (right) 500 years ago today. But what had made him take this step? A few years earlier, he had come across a passage in the Bible which worried him:
In the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed – a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written:
'The righteous will live by faith.' Romans 1: 17 [NIV]
Reading this, Luther could not see how God's justice (his righteousness) could be good news. Surely God's justice condemns us because we are sinners. He hated the term 'justice of God'!
But struggling to understand the book of Romans, Luther came to see that God's justice was not just something about God, but God's gift to sinners. God gives his righteousness to us – he makes us righteous before him, so that we can stand in his presence. God declares us to be righteous because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
For Luther it was a lightbulb moment:
"When I had realised this, I felt myself absolutely born again. The gates of paradise had been flung open and I had entered. There and then the whole of scripture took on another look to me."
Heavenly Father, thank you for the amazing news that, although we are sinful people, we have been put right with you through the death of your son, Jesus. Thank you that he died in our place on the cross, so that we can be reconciled to you. Amen.
David Long
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