We do well to remember what Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Cranmer, Hooper, Ridley, Latimer, and a host of others fought for.
J. C. Ryle's book, Five English Reformers helps us do just that:
Let men say what they will, or pick holes where they may, they will never succeed in disproving these facts. To the Reformation, Englishmen owe an English Bible, and liberty for every man to read it. To the Reformation, they owe the knowledge of the way of peace with God, and of the right of every sinner to go straight to Christ by faith, without bishop, priest, or minister standing in his way. To the Reformation, they owe a Scriptural standard of morality and holiness such as our ancestors never dreamed of. For ever let us be thankful for these inestimable mercies. [HT: CQOD]
Elsewhere, he also says:
Let us thank God that the foundations of the Reformed Church of England were laid by such men as John Bradford. Let us clearly understand what kind of men our martyred Reformers were, what kinds of doctrines they held, and what kind of lives they lived. Let us pray that the work they did for the Church of England may never be despised or underrated. Above all, let us pray that there never may be wanting among us a continual succession of English clergy, who shall keep the martyr's candle burning brightly, and shall hand down true Reformation principles to our children's children. [p. 138.]
That is a worthy goal on this day — that we remember the cost and benefits of the work of god through the Reformers, that we give thanks to God for them, and that we continue to stand in such a way that the gospel of God is honored and upheld. Perhaps a way to begin that is by reading a good biography on the reformation or one of the reformers. Ryle's book is a good place to start, as are a number of books authored by Stephen J. Nichols.
Last year I also noted several resources for information about Luther, and the Reformation in general. Or read some short quotes ("Reformation quotes") about the Reformation.
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