Beware, Lest Thou Forget

Today is Reformation Sunday. We commemorate the reformation of the Protestant churches. Why should we remember something that happened 500 years ago? What has Reformation got to do with us today? If we do not remember, we will soon forget how our spiritual forefathers fought and led us out of the spiritual darkness of the Roman Catholic Church. Not only must we remember, we must also ensure that our next generation knows why we are Protestants. "That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged" (Deut 6:2).

"…lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth…" (Deut 6:12). The Israelites were in Egypt. The Lord blessed them so that they were "fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty…" (Exo 1:7). But soon they forgot the God who blessed them. So God allowed a new Pharaoh who knew not Joseph to come up and oppressed and enslaved them. The children of Israel cried to the Lord and He sent Moses to bring them out of the land of slavery in Egypt. In order that they should not forget the Lord, the Lord instituted the Passover and commanded them that they should not forget the Lord "which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage" (Deut 6:12). However, having enjoyed the land flowing with milk and honey, "the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers…" (Jud 2:11-12). The Lord allowed another Gentile king Nebuchadnezzar to exile them to Babylon.

Lest thou forget "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (Jn 1:29). The children of Israel had forgotten the Lord but the Lord had not forgotten them. After 70 years the Lord let them return to their homeland. Sadly, once again they slowly forgot the Lord. God sent His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus to come to the world to save us. "He was in the world, … and the world knew him not … and received him not" (Jn 1:10-11). Finally, they crucified and killed Him. But God raised Him up the third day and made Him the propitiation of our sins. The night before Jesus was betrayed, He instituted the Lord's Supper and said: "this do in remembrance of me" (Lk 22:19). Before His ascension, He commanded His disciples, "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…" (Matt 28:20). The disciples and the early Christians therefore went about preaching and establishing churches. They held fast to the teachings of Christ till the 16th century.

Lest thou forget "The just shall live by faith" (Rom 1:17). During the 16th century, the church became Roman Catholics, when the priests kept away the Bible and taught the people to worship Virgin Mary. They also placed statues of Mary and many other 'saints' everywhere for people to worship. They even printed indulgences for people to buy so that they could sin without fear. Believers once again lived in darkness and under the grip of the Romans. God sent a faithful servant, Martin Luther who, during his search of the scripture, came across the text "the just shall live by faith" (Rom 1:17). He bravely nailed his 95 theses on the door of his church in Wittenberg and defied the Pope in Rome. He returned the Bible to believers, destroyed the images and reformed the Christian faith. On 30th October 1517 he founded the Reformed Faith of the Christian world. Many were martyred but the church grew from strength to strength.

Lest thou forget "that in the last days perilous times shall come" (2 Tim 3:1). The Bible reminds us that "the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Tim 4:3-4). Slowly, the efforts of Reformation were forgotten and modern theology, Neo Evangelicals, Ecumenicals and Charismatics slowly crept into the churches. We have to be careful lest we forget our fundamental faith that had been very costly fought for by our spiritual forefathers.

Apdated fromCalvary BP Church Encouragement Page, 29th October 2007.
Elder Cheng Wei Nien