Luther's Doctrine Shall Not Pass Away

"Gottes Wort und Luthers Lehr, vergehet nun und nimmermehr!" ("God's Word and Luther's doctrine shall not pass away now or forever!")

That was the statement C.F.W. Walther used as the masthead for his newspaper, Der Lutheraner ("The Lutheran"), from 1844. 

Unfortunately, not all Lutheran Churches celebrate Reformation Day.  Why? Some out of a desire to be more "modern," some out of fear of looking too exclusive to Lutherans, and some simply worry that they're worshiping the man, Martin Luther. 

This is far from the truth.

As we approach October 31st, the celebration of Martin Luther nailing the 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg Germany in 1517, let us not think that we are celebrating the birth of Lutheranism. 

We call this doctrine Luther’s, but he did not produce it.  We call our synod by his name, but he did not start a church.  As long as there has been an orthodox church there has been the Lutheran Church.  As long as there have been Christians who've believed in Jesus Christ and his Word, the Lutheran Church has been there.  For her doctrine is that of the patriarchs, the prophets, and the apostles.  It is none other than God’s. 

"If a heathen man, living in a heathen country, found the Holy Scriptures and read them attentively and yielded to it by the governance of the Holy Spirit, rejecting none of the Words, but receiving it all as God’s Word, as it truly is, then he would come to no other doctrine than Luther’s doctrine. In his mouth and heart he would become a Lutheran. That is why we have every right to say: “God’s Word and Luther’s doctrine will never pass away.”

If we were ashamed of Luther and his doctrine and the doctrine of the Church named after him we would also be ashamed of Christ and his eternal Gospel and the rock of the church, which even the gates of hell shall not overcome."

C.F.W. Walther, “Reformation Sermon on Revelation 14:6-12 (1845),” Occasional Sermons and Addresses by C.F.W. Walther, translated by Joel R. Basely, 34-35

We forever remain unwavering and steadfast in Luther’s doctrine, unashamedly calling ourselves Lutheran, for it is the correct exposition of Scripture. 

We join together as the body of Christ to celebrate October 31st 1517, not in order to bash the pope, nor to talk about how we're better than other denominations, nor to worship Martin Luther.  We are Lutheran, like those of any era, simply because we believe the Word of God and confess it before men.  So when we celebrate the Reformation we are celebrating nothing else than the eternal Gospel.  We are "justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:24

"Upon this article [Justification] everything that we teach and practice depends, in opposition to the pope, the devil, and the whole world. Therefore, we must be certain and not doubt this doctrine. Otherwise, all is lost, and the pope, the devil and all adversaries win the victory and the right over us." SA II I 5

So yes, we celebrate Reformation Day.  We rejoice in Luther's doctrine.  We make a big deal out of October 31st, indeed.  For we are rejoicing over the fact that God still allow our ears to be filled with His precious Word of forgiveness by Grace, through Faith, in Christ alone! 

"Gottes Wort und Luthers Lehr, vergehet nun und nimmermehr!"