Podcast episode will be available on all podcast platforms on November 8, 2021
What is ‘Reformation’?
Simply put, reformation is the act of changing an institution, process, or way of thinking. We use reformation to mean that we change our beliefs and practices to align them with what the Word of God has to say.
To be “Reformed” is to be constantly reforming according to the Word of God. It is the shedding of the cultural traditions, false teachings, and doctrines of our day so that we can hold true to the Word of God, both fully and thoroughly.
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to read the documents that so greatly impacted the reformation of the church? There are so many great Reformers and Puritans that it can be crippling to know where to start. What if there was a way to get a ‘sampler platter’ of the big reformation resources available to us today? Keep reading!
“The Reformation of the Church” by Iain Murray
This book is a Collection, an anthology, of Reformed and Puritan Documents on Church Issues.
Here’s the description of the book from Banner of Truth:
“The nature and life of the church is one of the most crucial issues facing Christians today. Questions of ministry and liturgy, authority and freedom, appear in a wide variety of guises throughout the world-wide church. Relativism and uncertainty seem to be as common in the church as in the world. Many Christians wonder whether there is any way forward.
In this context, The Reformation of the Church is an invaluable aid. An anthology of documents, drawn largely but not exclusively from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, it presents in a readily accessible form the finest thinking of the reformed fathers on authority and freedom, the need for reformation, the nature of the government, unity and membership of the church of Jesus Christ.
Warmly welcomed when first published in 1965, and widely used since then, these documents provide invaluable material for ministers, elders, leaders, students and all Christians who are concerned to see Christ’s church fulfill her God-given role at a critical juncture in her history.”
Here’s My Take on This Book
As soon as I received the book, I started exploring the riches of the Reformers. Not only is the book well designed with an enticing cover, but it is also well organized. It is divided up into sections that specifically address different areas on which the Church needed guidance. From the nature of the Church, the ‘rules’ by which we reform, the need for reformation, church government, unity, and more, many source documents in this book help us address these issues.
There have been times of great reformation and revival in Church history. From the Protestant Reformation, to the Puritans, to the Great Awakening, there have been Godly preachers and pastors that have marked eras. Luckily for us, many of these writings have been compiled by Iain Murray into The Reformation of the Church.
This book meets a great need. It connects the modern Church to the Church of old. It connects our contemporary culture of apathy and postmodernism to men who cared deeply about Truth. These guys had it right. The only thing that would ever have a genuine, honest, and eternal impact is the Word of God. The Reformers knew that the only way for the Church to storm the gates of hell is to abide in Christ and His Word, faithfully teaching and applying the riches they have found in Scripture through the power of the Holy Spirit. You can see in this book that the Reformers whole-heartedly believed that the Bible is the only standard of truth. You can feel it as you read the words on the page. They rebuke, exhort, and encourage the Church in order for them to stand on Scripture in times of confusion or turmoil.
“The Reformers knew that the only way for the Church to storm the gates of hell is to abide in Christ and His Word.”
Charles Spurgeon stated in his autobiography, “We want again Luthers, Calvins, Bunyans, Whitefields, men fit to mark eras, whose names breathe terror in our foemen’s ears. We have dire need of such. Whence will they come to us? They are the gifts of Jesus Christ to the Church, and will come in due time. He has power to give us back again a golden age of preachers, a time as fertile as great divines and mighty ministers as was the Puritan age, and when the good old truth is once more preached by men whose lips are touched as with a live coal from the alter, this shall be the instrument in the hand of the Spirit for bringing about a great and thorough revival of religion in the land.
I do not look for any other means of converting men beyond the simple preaching of the gospel and the opening of men’s ears to hear it. The moment the Church of God shall despise the pulpit, God will despise her. It has been through the ministry that the Lord has always been pleased to revive and bless His Church.”
“When we are frustrated or confused with where the Church is today, let us be reminded not to blaze new ways forward, but look back to old paths.”
The Reformation of the Church contains documents from Godly men who were passionate about the authority of the Word of God, who wanted greatly to see their congregations know and love Jesus Christ, and wanted the Church to be brought to its knees in obedience to God. It is a wonderful anthology of the sweet yet bold declarations of the reformers and puritans. Not only does this collection of documents convict, but it also encourages. It gives us examples of how they faithfully dealt with the issues they faced and equips us to do the same.
This book is perfect for those who want to start reading the Reformers and Puritans. The printing press made these historical documents accessible to our ancestors and us here today as we dive into the paths of old. When we are frustrated or confused with where the Church is today, let us be reminded not to blaze new ways forward, but look back to old paths.
This book belongs on your bookshelf. Trust me, you will want to read it.
You can purchase this book from Banner of Truth by using this link.
“Ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it” Jeremiah 6:16
