Is the Reformation over?

That is a question that has been raised on a number of occasions. I was thinking about it again Thursday, spurred on by a note on Facebook from Ligonier that asked that exact question.

From the standpoint of the key doctrines at stake, certainly not. Not because we are unfamiliar with foundational doctrines like sola scriptura and justification by faith alone, but because these doctrines are constantly under assault. There is always someone looking for a loophole, somehow looking to claim credit at least in part for their own salvation. Coupled with this is the fact, as Dr. Sproul points out, that while the rhetoric out of Rome is toned down and Protestants aren’t being burned at the stake for their “heresy”, Rome still espouses a form of works based righteousness, where the inherent righteousness of humans plays a pivotal part in salvation.

The Reformation was focused, almost myopically, on justification and authority. Rightly so, because the basis on which a sinner is saved is the foundation of the Gospel witness. If you get that wrong, you get the whole thing wrong and end up preaching “another gospel” which we have seen coming out of Rome for over one thousand years as well as from other heretical groups that have sprung up since the first century. This false gospel that relies even in part on the inherent righteousness of man and his works is incompatible with Biblical Christianity and until that damning doctrine is overturned, Rome will continue to be estranged from Christianity. In ecumenical talks, we often hear about common ground and Rome sees these talks as a way to bring the wayward brethren back into the fold. There can be no common ground with a group that denies the Gospel. I have no interest in “returning to the fold” when the fold denies the Gospel. Protestants haven’t left “The Church”, the Roman church abandoned the Gospel more than 1000 years ago. I appreciate the candor of Dr. Sproul in his closing statement:

At the moment the Roman Catholic Church condemned the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone, she denied the gospel and ceased to be a legitimate church, regardless of all the rest of her affirmations of Christian orthodoxy. To embrace her as an authentic church while she continues to repudiate the biblical doctrine of salvation is a fatal attribution. We're living in a time where theological conflict is considered politically incorrect, but to declare peace when there is no peace is to betray the heart and soul of the gospel.

You don’t see this sort of candor and unapologetic standing for the Gospel much anymore. Too many people tiptoe around Rome because they a) are afraid to offend anyone, b) probably can’t articulate the difference between Biblical justification and what Rome peddles and c) are more concerned with making political allies than disciples. The Roman Catholic Church is the schismatic organization, having declared the Gospel of Jesus Christ anathema and abandoning the only Gospel by which men can be saved. It may affirm many important doctrines like the Trinity, it may stand side by side with Christians on social issues like abortion but no group that denies the Gospel can be yoked with believers. Roman Catholics, by and large, are not brothers to be reconciled with; they are lost people who need the Gospel preached to them (of course so are many “members” of Protestant churches, but that is a different topic).

That brings us back to the question at hand. My other reason for saying that the Reformation is not over is that so much was left undone. We recovered the Biblical Gospel and brought the Word of God to the people but retained the ritualistic worship of Rome. Because of the intense struggle to reclaim the Gospel and the rediscovery of the Word of God, the early years of the Reformation focused on the “big picture” doctrines. Meanwhile the gathering of the church retained the look and style of Rome. Priests were replaced by pastors. The ritual of the Eucharist was replaced by the ritual of the Lord’s Supper. Babies were still baptized with a modified ceremony. The audience still sat and listened. The guy up front was called something different and the message was radically different but the mode of delivery was essentially unchanged. The local parish was replaced by the local church. Many magisterial reformers retained a semblance of Roman hierarchy with a top down style of leadership.

So no, the Reformation is not over. We must continue to strive for the Gospel. We must also seek to reform those areas left untouched after the Reformation or worse yet those areas where dissidents were punished with death for questioning tradition. When you “reform” the church but still burned, drowned and tortured brothers for doctrines that are common place in Baptist churches today, you have to recognize that the reform was incomplete.