2010 Marks the 450^th anniversary of the Scottish Reformation. It is an event that ought to be remembered and commemorated by us with deep gratitude, joyous celebration and a renewed resolve to accentuate our Reformed roots.

Sadly however for many in our day, even among some who belong to Reformed churches, the word ‘Reformed’ itself carries a number of negative connotations. Lamentably instead of rejoicing in the appellation for some it has become an odious or pejorative term. Our history or heritage they believe is consequently best left uncelebrated and forgotten. Such people want to be seen as contemporary and relevant and equate the designation ‘Reformed’ with being antiquated and or an irrelevance.

This is both a tragedy and a travesty for it is predicated on an erroneous understanding of what the Reformation represented and ought to represent for us today. While anti-Reformed sentiment is widespread in the church and nation we ought to be doing all in our power to counter-act and dispel such thought and feeling. While such negative views are more often than not fuelled by ignorance and bad theology they are also however precipitated by the poor presentation and practice of some Reformed churches which appear to equate mere traditionalism with being Reformed – “thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down” (Mar 7:13).

Johannes Vos was surely correct when he wrote last century

...This process of Reformation must be continuous until the end of the world. At no point may the church stop and say, “I have arrived. Thus far but no further!” Only in heaven can the church triumphant say that ... Not only is advance in study of the Scriptures required, beyond the landmarks of the past, but searching self-criticism on the part of the church is called for. The church’s subordinate standards must always be subjected to examination and re-examination in the light of Scripture.

This is implied in our confession that only Scripture is infallible. If only Scripture is infallible, then everything else must be constantly tested and re-tested by Scripture. Not only the church’s official standards, but its life, its programmes, its activities, its institutions, its publications, must be subjected to a searching self-criticism on the basis of Scripture...

It is crucially important then that we understand that the reformers were contemporary and relevant without being innovators or pioneers. And so must we be. We are called to be disciples after all; followers of Jesus Christ. We are to be growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We need not be seeking after novelties that will appeal to an indifferent and narcissistic world.

Neither however are we to be the Reformed Amish stuck in a bygone era perpetuating past practices and preferences which have little or no sanction from the word of God. We need not look and sound as if we belonged to the distant past speaking in unintelligible and antiquated language which only confirms people’s worst fears that we are an irrelevance.

Let us learn from the reformers while understanding that we live in the 21^st century. They sought to reform the church and nation on the basis of the word of God. Their faith and practice was modelled in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ and the example of His church in the New Testament scriptures. The way forward for them was to go back – back to the authoritative word and therefore their message was supremely relevant for it was founded and grounded in the living and abiding word which is solely contained in the sacred scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. We are not to go back to 1560 or 1690 or 1843 or 1893 or some other landmark date in the history of the church in our nation, although we must learn from such. Instead we are to be constantly reforming in light of the word of truth.

To be Reformed thus means to be biblical; to recognise and submit oneself to the supreme authority of God’s word. Therein does man require knowledge of the one, true and living God and of himself; therein is the true and only way of salvation revealed; for therein do we discover the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and all else required in order for us to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Surely one of the greatest and most wonderful truths about the Reformation was the rediscovery of the true gospel for the word in Scripture directs us to the Word Incarnate, Jesus Christ and reveals Him as our Lord and Saviour; our Prophet, Priest and King.

For centuries the gospel had remained hid or obscured due to the traditions and novelties introduced by the Medieval Church. They acted like bleak black cloud blocking out the light of the Sun and the way of salvation. Something similar is happening in our own day. The Reformation however marked the rediscovery and recovery of Christ’s gospel. The true gospel which declares that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. What greater need or relevance is there for the world today? We have the truth, we have received the call and commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel. We are to go make disciples.

And yet today many people argue that being Reformed is inimical to the proclamation of the gospel; they would say that it is a hindrance to evangelism. This is quite simply erroneous. It was no hindrance to Luther, Calvin, Bucer, Wishart, Knox or countless others who have followed in their footsteps.

It was no hindrance to Jonathan Edwards, William Carey, George Whitefield, William Chalmers Burns, John MacDonald, Charles Spurgeon and many, many others. The problem is not with being Reformed for therein we possess the word of truth and the biblical gospel, the problem rather lies with US, in our apathy and loss of confidence in the truth.

We would do well to learn from our Reformed forebears whose ministry was altogether Christ-centred and Christ-focussed. Scotland’s first Reformed martyr, Patrick Hamilton, went to the stake for his believe in the authority and sufficiency of the word of God which we possess in Holy Scripture and for the uniqueness and exclusivity of Christ’s gospel.

Permit me to conclude this brief article by citing an extract from Patrick’s Places which was published after Hamilton’s death. He wrote under the heading ‘of the gospel’:

Christ is the Saviour of the world.
Christ is our Saviour.
Christ died for us.
Christ died for our sins.
Christ offered himself for us.
Christ bore our sins upon his back.
Christ bought us with his blood.
Christ washed us with his blood.
Christ came in the world to save sinners.
Christ came in the world to take away our sins.
Christ was the price that was given for us and for our sins.
Christ was made debtor for our sins. Christ hath paid our debt, for He died for us.
Christ hath made satisfaction for us and for our sins.
Christ is our righteousness.
Christ is our wisdom.
Christ is our sanctification.
Christ is our redemption.
Christ is our satisfaction.
Christ is our peace.
Christ is our goodness.
Christ hath pacified the Father of Heaven.
Christ is ours, and all His.
Christ hath delivered us from the law, from the devil, and hell.
The Father of Heaven hath forgiven us for Christ’s sake.

Let us then resolve to recover our confidence in the word of the living God and in the power of Christ’s gospel. This is surely what the Reformation has to teach us. Far from being an irrelevance it is the greatest need of our day. Let us be Reformed and always reforming in light of the inspired and infallible word of God.