Good morning:
Which peanut butter would you rather eat, one which lists numerous added ingredients including hydrogenated vegetable oil, mono and diglycerides or another brand which has only peanuts and salt? Wouldn’t you go with the one which has the fewest added ingredients? The more things added, the more risk there is of contamination or other harmful effects. Less is “more.”
That is even more true when it comes to God’s Word. Anything added to it is going to contaminate the truth. “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it” (Deut. 4:2). At the time of the Reformation so many manmade rules, rituals, and false teachings had been added to the Word that the saving gospel of Christ was almost completely lost. Salvation by God’s grace alone through faith alone revealed in Scripture alone had been spoiled by the added false teaching that a person needs to do works of penance in order to receive forgiveness. Viewing relics and buying indulgences were praised as means by which one could make things right with God. But nothing could be further from the truth. “By observing the law no one will be justified” (Gal. 2:16).
The great blessing of the Reformation is that God used Martin Luther and others to once again preach and teach the pure, unadulterated gospel, the message that Jesus is the Son of God whose righteousness is credited to the sinner and who took upon Himself the guilt of the world. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).
As you spend time in the Word today, thank God that He has given us the one true faith which alone saves. May He preserve it among us in its purity without any harmful additives.
In Jesus’ name,
Pastor
Services are at 8:00 and 10:45 a.m. Sunday school: 9:30 a.m. and Bible class at 9:45 a.m.
The children and choir will sing in second service.
The area Reformation service will be held at Living Hope, Appleton, at 4 p.m. with a light supper to follow.
