I hope the last day will not tarry over 100 years, because God’s Word will be taken away again and a great darkness will come for the scarcity of ministers of the Word – Martin Luther (1483 – 1546), Schriften, vol 22, col.16/18, (1538).

Today is Reformation Sunday and the epistle reading from 1 Thessalonian chapter 2 points us to the truth about the Reformation and fear of Martin Luther. Eight years before his death, Luther expressed his fear of how long the Reformation, his protest against the church’s corrupt heresy and errors could last. His hope in reference to the last day was that the Reformation will usher in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. According to Luther, if the last day tarry over 100 years, it may be become a case of dog returning back to its vomit, a ‘reversed Reformation.’ In protest and reaction to medieval Roman Catholic doctrine and practices, Luther prophetically led a major Christian renewal movement, Protestantism, and ‘wherever Protestantism gained a foothold, it influenced the social, economic, political, and cultural life of the area.’ According to Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, “the Reformation led to huge conflict but it led to faith becoming a real choice rather than forced upon us … The arts, sciences and literature flourished, thanks to the Bible becoming available in each person’s language.’

In his Ninety-five Thesis launched on October 31, 1517, Luther expressed his concern about the Church’s financial, doctrinal, and religious abuses. For Luther, the treasury of the church is the gospel and the Scripture is the only basis of Christian authority. Today, we are faced with the spread of corrupt heresy and growth of prosperity gospel 479 years after Luther expressed his fear that “God’s Word will be taken away again and a great darkness will come for the scarcity of ministers of the Word.”

The decline and famine in the church today with reference to the fear of Luther is the famine of God’s Word under a Babylon culture and shaped by the scarcity of ministers of the Word. Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica reminds us on the need for preachers with gospel results and testimonies. In such a time as this, we need preachers who are ready to suffer and be treated outrageously ‘but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else (1 Thes 2:2-6). The gospel of Christ is designed for mortifying corrupt affections, and that men may be brought under the power of faith. This is only possible when we, preachers avoids flattery, covetousness, ambition and vain-glory.

To overcome the fear of Luther, we need preachers that will retell the world again and again that Bible is the secret of the world’s hope and future. We need a renewed Bible literacy with people receiving the gospel as the Word of God. Protestantism exists to protest against errors and secular definition of Christianity. Today, the epistle calls us to see through the lens of Luther a world in distress and a Church in decline seeking the power of Jesus Christ to restore and renew her. Be a part of the renewal and restoration. God bless you.