Today (October 31) is Reformation Day. I deliberately ignore the other occasion commonly observed on this date. Those who share my reformed heritage are well familiar with Martin Luther’s five “solas” – Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria. These translate in English, respectively: scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, and God’s glory alone.
A reformation phrase that is less well known was coined somewhat later (the 17th century) – “ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda” – which means “the church reformed, always being reformed”. Some like to translate that as “the church is always reforming”, but if my grade 10 latin serves me correctly, the verb reformanda is passive, which means the church is not “always reforming” but is “always being reformed”. Perhaps a hairsplitting point for some, but either way it addresses the issue of CHANGE – something that churches today are either reluctant to do, or in some cases too eager to do in order to embrace every modern fad to be culturally relevant (a modern-day buzz word).
In some ways, I think that Martin Luther and John Calvin and other reformers would be aghast if they could see what churches, who claim to follow their teachings have become today. Many are nothing more than monuments, as I have pointed out elsewhere. Others again, in their quest to appeal to modern thinking have long since abandoned their spiritual and biblical roots. Both miss the point of semper reformanda.
The reformation did not invent new truths. When Martin Luther taught that salvation was by grace alone through faith alone, he did not contrive a new concept, he re-discovered something that was always true. The church, since its beginnings has believed what Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; and Hebrews 10:38 teach, namely that “the just shall live by faith” (or by their faith). But actually this concept goes back even earlier than the Christian church. Already in the Old Testament, the prophet Habbakuk said, Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith. (Habbakuk 2:4). The Old Testament saints were saved by looking FORWARD to the sacrificial death of Jesus on the Cross. All of their sacrifices and rituals were but symbols that pointed forward to Christ, who is the only salvation for all. We of course, in our faith, look back to that sacrifice on Calvary. In Jesus there is salvation, and in none other. Reformation then, is not about inventing new truths, but re-discovering, and embracing old truths that had been neglected, or in some cases replaced or buried by other ideas and teachings, more modern and fashionable practices. Semper reformanda means not to look forwards to what is new and enticing, but returning BACK to the Bible and its truths.
But the church of today faces another danger, and that is a lust for change simply for the sake of change. From music that is hip (who cares what we sing – it sounds so culturally relevant), to abandoning practices that the Bible clearly teaches and embracing those that it clearly condemns. Whatever semper reformanda means, it cannot mean to figure out your theological beliefs on the fly or fix you moral standards on what culture says is right. It means that we must always be examining our faith and our teachings (and our practices) in the light of the Bible – and being willing to change by going back to those truths. A proper understanding of this principle will aid each generation in avoiding the pitfalls of remaining stuck in the quagmire of its own man-made traditions and rules on the one hand or on the other hand being caught up in every enticing wind of doctrine as Paul warns in Ephesians 4:14 “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.”
Some have suggested that we are “due for another reformation”. I would say, we need to re-discover semper reformanda. Yes, the reformation did result in a division of Christianity, and there is a movement afoot to repair that rift and strive for a reunification of Christians back to one brand of Christianity, arguing that there is more that unites than what divides the two wings of Christianity. However if we understand the point of the reformation, we realize that the fundamental issue of how to be reconciled to God is believed and taught very differently by the various churches.
Unity is good, but it cannot be achieved at any price. It cannot be negotiated or engaging in compromises that water down our beliefs to the lowest common denominator. Truth does not change with time. What was true when Jesus said, I am the Way, The Truth and the Life; No one comes to the Father but through me (John 14:6) is still true today. Writing to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul was also concerned about Unity. But he did not advocate unity at all cost. He said that Christian unity is based on one body and one Spirit – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all and in you all. (Eph. 4:4-6). And the path to realizing that unity is speaking the truth in love, and growing up in all things into Him who is the head–Christ--. (Eph. 4:15) . That is another way of saying ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda.
