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The Lord’s Church Through the Ages Part 4 The Reformation Period

The Lord’s Church Through the Ages Where Are We?

Why This Study? A study of history is profitable for learning valuable lessons (1 Corinthians 10:11-12) We find that many people were dissatisfied and disgruntled with the Catholic Church and attempted to reform it. We will learn that in an attempt to reform the Catholic Church many substituted their own man-made doctrines and practices in place of those of the Catholic Church.

Why This Study? We will learn that in an attempt to reform the Catholic Church many went from one extreme (salvation by works in the Catholic Church) to another extreme (salvation by faith alone in the Protestant Churches). We will learn the great sacrifices that were made to undertake a reformation of religion.

Understanding Some Terms “Renaissance” means new birth or revival and refers to the renewed interest and revival of learning (A.D – 1550) “Protestant” refers to a movement from individuals within the Catholic Church (former priests, etc.) “protesting” the errors and abuses of the Catholic Church “Reformation” refers to the movement, not to “overthrow”, but “reform” the existing order (the Catholic Church) enough to correct its errors and abuses

Pre-Reformation History The great captivity of the Catholic Church The great schism within the Catholic Church The great captivity of the Eastern Orthodox Church The great inquisition of the Catholic Church

The Beginning of Reformation The Preparation for Reformation: learning, the printing press, nationalism The Beginnings of Reformation: Wycliff, Huss, Wessel, Savonarola The Catholic Counter-Reformation

The Formal Reformation The German Reformation: Luther and Melanchthon The Swiss Reformation: Zwingli and Calvin The English Reformation: Tyndale and King Henry

Protestant Churches of the Reformation ChurchFounderDate LutheranMartin Luther1521 Church of EnglandKing Henry VIII1534 CongregationalRobert Browne1550 PresbyterianJohn Calvin1560 BaptistJohn Smythe1608 QuakerGeorge Fox1656 MethodistJ. and C. Wesley1739

Catholicism Replaced by Protestantism CatholicismKey FeatureProtestantism PopeHeadMen OneChurchesMany TraditionAuthorityDoctrines of Men BishopsRuling BodyCouncils WorksSalvationFaith Only

Lessons Learned Reading the scriptures for yourself will lead you out of the darkness of ignorance and error into the light of truth (Jn. 8:32; 17:17; Eph. 5:17) The need for restoration, not merely reformation (Isa. 8:20; Jer. 6:16)

Lessons Learned Reformation leaders taught erroneous doctrines… Luther’s demand for what is forbidden in scripture: “Thou shall not…” (compare with Col. 3:17; 2 Jn. 9) Luther’s salvation by faith alone (compare with Jas. 2:24-26) Calvin’s doctrine of TULIP (compare with Ezek. 18:20; Eph. 1:3-6; 1 Tim. 2:6; Acts 7:51; Gal. 5:4)

The Lord’s Church Through the Ages Let us not simply reform abuses in religion, but go back and restore the New Testament church (Lk. 8:11; Acts 11:26; Eph. 4:4-6) Let us not leave one man-made Church to form another man-made Church (Mt. 15:13) Let us be the faithful remnant of the Lord’s church today (1 K. 19:18; Rev. 3:4)