Finding An Anchor In Our AnxietySýnishorn

Church History  

October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther, who struggled with depression and anxiety, nailed 95 theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg. All he was trying to do is to get an academic discussion going on at the university where he was teaching at. He wasn’t trying to start a world-wide movement. He was speaking against indulgences. Leo X was the Pope and was a big time spender. He spent one seventh of the Vatican’s money on his coronation as Pope. He wanted to raise a lot of money to build St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Pope Leo X asked his people to sell indulgences to raise money. Indulgences were a piece of paper with the seal of the Pope that said that you can be forgiven from sin, and you can get someone out of the purgatory. “Every time the coffer clings, a soul from purgatory springs,” is the phrase that was coined. Martin Luther spoke up against that, and when he did, the pope said he’d have to recant from his protests. Martin Luther burned the message the pope had sent him. It was on at that point in a big way. When Leo X died, the church was bankrupt and they had to borrow candles from another funeral.

Martin Luther stepped up against that, and in doing so, he brought the Protestant Reformation. In that protesting, a lot of things changed. Ministers could marry, praise God for that! Church services were in the native tongue, not Latin. The Bible was translated into different languages. People could have the Bible on their lap now, not just the priest. The services were centered on preaching, where people could read what the priest was teaching. There was also congregational singing allowed. Martin Luther was able to do all of this because the emperor was away in war. When he came back, Lutherism had grown tremendously. From that point, the Protestant Reformation ended up with The Five Solas. 

These are five anchor points that we can hold on to in times of anxiety.

Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone. The Bible alone is our highest authority. I can trust that the scripture has a word for my soul. 

Sola Fide – Faith alone. We are saved through faith alone. 

Sola Gratia – Grace alone. We are saved by the grace of God alone. I don’t have to work to get to Heaven. So much of our anxiety comes from trying to be perfect. Grace, grace.

Solus Christus – Christ alone. Jesus Christ alone is our Lord, Savior, and King. Don’t look at man, look to Jesus. 

Soli Deo Gloria – To the glory of God alone. We live for the glory of God alone.