Semper Reformanda. This was a slogan that flowed out of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. The specific term, which means “always reforming,” is attributed to Jodocus van Lodenstein, who was a minister in what we now call the Netherlands (Godfrey, 2017). There is a rich history involved with his life and his church, but suffiseth to say that this statement was not made in a vacuum or on a whim; it carried much weight. It still does.
“THE PICTURE IS NOT PRETTY ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS OF MEN. YET, WE CAN TRUST THAT THE TRANSCENDENT TAPESTRY BEING WOVEN ON THE OTHER SIDE IS MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN WE CAN IMAGINE.”
After Martin Luther posted his 95 theses in Wittenburg, Germany on October 31st, 1517, a public movement was stirred up that spread beyond Germany, through the Netherlands, and now the effects are seen all over the world (for more information, CLICK HERE). In this time, the Church was undergoing a reordering of structure that sought to recapture the purity of the faith that was once for all delivered to the Saints (Jude 1:3). This is where many splits happened, and there were many disagreements as to what was proper in terms of the ways in which people worshipped the One True God. The picture is not pretty according to the standards of men. Yet, we can trust that the transcendent tapestry being woven on the other side is more beautiful than we can imagine. On one side, we see many denominations. Yet, consider this: that those denominations can (or at least ought to) agree on the central tenets of the Christian Faith. We are still figuring things out. With new technology comes new questions. How can this technology be used to the Glory of God? This is why what Lodenstein said is so important: the Church must always be reforming to fit the truth.
This holds true both collectively and in an individual manner. How so? Well, when somone is pressing on towards Holiness, they ought to be reforming/reshaping their lives to better conform to what they believe about God and how they act in light of that (1 Peter 1:15-16). Consequently, this can be applied to general behavior, matters of doctrine (what one believes; not changes to doctrine itself), learning, and so on.
This is not about reform for the sake of reform. On the contrary, this is about reform for the sake of molding ourselves around the true cornerstone, which is Christ. A group playing backyard football can reorganize the team however they want. Yet, what matters is that they are working towards finding the best thrower and the best receivers. Legos can be rearranged in may ways. Yet, what matters is matching up how the pieces are supposed to fit together. Progress for the sake of progress is empty. Progress for the sake of attaining something good produces much fruit.
When you run a certain way, you have to change it if you are getting sharp pains. If you do certain movements exercising that lead to injury, you have to change your form/training structure. In the same way, just because you believe something because it is what you have always believed does not make it true. False beliefs injure one’s soul. There are family traditions, there are emotional ties, and there are many other things that could keep a person from accepting the essential Christian truths highlighted during the Reformation. Namely, that one is saved by grace ALONE, through faith ALONE (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is the righteousness of Christ that matters; not our own, for we have none. False gospels must be abandoned (Galatians 1:6). At the end of the day, this saying (among all others) of Jesus, The King of Glory, must be considered: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
