The church that always reforms. Not ashamed of the gospel: The Reformation and the Wesleyan call to Holy living

Romans 1:17–25

17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

It was a chilly October evening in 1517. As the sun began to set behind the rooftops of Wittenberg, a monk walked across the cobblestone square with a hammer in hand and fire in his heart. His name was Martin Luther, and in that moment, he had no idea he was stepping into history. He wasn’t seeking fame. He wasn’t trying to split the Church. He simply wanted to call it back, to Scripture, to grace, to Christ. And with 95 short sentences, nailed to the door of the Castle Church, he struck the match that would ignite the Reformation. His act wasn’t isolated. Across Europe, others, such as Calvin in Geneva, Zwingli in Zurich, Cranmer, and even Henry VIII in England, would help reshape the religious landscape. But in that ripple of reform, another wave would rise. One that would echo through time in field preaching and hymns, in bands and class meetings, and in a movement that refused to let holiness become a forgotten doctrine. That wave bore the names John and Charles Wesley.

Today, as we stand on Reformation Sunday, we remember: the gospel is not just about pardon, it's about transformation. Not only does God forgive, but He sanctifies. And we, the Church, are called not only to preserve this truth but to live it. The Apostle Paul opens this bold letter to the Romans with a declaration: “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written: The just shall live by faith.” Notice this: two revelations occur side by side. One is beautiful, the other sobering:

1. The righteousness of God,  how God justifies and sanctifies His people
2. The wrath of God, how God stands against all that corrupts His good creation

The gospel, Paul says, is not human philosophy. It’s apokalyptetai, a divine unveiling. A pulling back of the curtain so we can see God’s heart. When Luther read these words, he was not yet free. He was a man tormented by his own sinfulness. He had tried penance, confession, pilgrimage, even flagellation, but peace escaped him. Until he read that verse again. Until he saw that righteousness was not something he had to achieve, but something God would give, as a gift. He later wrote: “Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates.”

Centuries later, a weary young Anglican missionary would walk into a prayer meeting on Aldersgate Street. As someone read aloud Luther’s commentary on Romans, John Wesley would feel his heart “strangely warmed.” Not by ritual. Not by effort. But by faith.  This is the righteousness of God, not just pardon from sin, but power for holy living.  This phrase didn’t originate with Paul; it came from Habakkuk 2:4. But Paul resurrects it, and so do the writers of Hebrews and Galatians. Why? Because it’s not just a line of theology, it’s a lifestyle. “The just shall live by faith.” Not just believe once. But live. Every day. In every space. For Luther, faith was the key to justification, being declared right before God. For Wesley, faith was also the key to sanctification, being made holy in heart and life.  Rev. Daniel Bell once said that Wesley didn’t throw away the Reformation; he finished its sentence. Wesley himself said of Luther: “Who has written more ably than Martin Luther on justification by faith alone? And who was more ignorant of the doctrine of sanctification?”
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It wasn’t a dismissal. It was a challenge. Wesley’s vision was fuller: salvation is not only pardon, but it’s also healing. God doesn’t just forgive our sins. He makes us new. Holiness is not legalism. It’s not moral perfection. It’s love perfected. A heart so filled with the love of God and neighbor that it overflows in mercy, humility, and truth. But Paul’s words continue. After the glory of grace comes the grief of rebellion. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him... they exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” This is not just a description of ancient idolatry. This is the story of every culture that forgets its Creator.

This is the story of a Church that trades the cross for comfort, the Spirit for structure, the mission for maintenance. It was true in Luther’s day, when indulgences were sold, and Scripture was silenced. It was true in Wesley’s day, when the Church of England had grown complacent, cold, and culturally privileged. And friends, it can be true in our day too. When we become so concerned with survival that we forget transformation, when we become so busy maintaining church buildings that we forget to be the Church, when we withhold truth out of fear or wield it without love, we begin to hold the truth in unrighteousness. Albert Outler once lamented, “Maintenance has become the mission.” But Wesley would thunder back: "We are not a church unless we stir up one another to love and good works!" So, what does it mean to celebrate the Reformation? It is not about nostalgia. It’s about renewal.

• We honor Luther by trusting in grace.
• We honor Wesley by walking in holiness.
• We honor Christ by surrendering fully to His lordship.

The Reformation is not a date. It’s a disposition. Not an anniversary. But an awakening. Let the Church always be reforming, not in form, but in faithfulness.

• Reformed in faith, Christ alone, Scripture alone, grace alone.
• Reformed in love, hearts set on fire with holy compassion.
• Reformed in unity, a witness so strong the world can see Jesus through it.

Beloved, the Reformation isn’t over. t continues wherever the Spirit moves:

• wherever hearts are warmed,
• wherever lives are changed,
• wherever justice and mercy walk hand in hand.