There are always at least two camps. Take politics. There is always an opposition that makes it difficult for the ruling party. And then you don’t always know who is right. It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in. 

Martin Luther, one of the Fathers of the Protestant Reformation in the early 1500s, was not initially part of the “right” camp. But when he was travelling in 1505, a great storm broke out and a bolt of lightning struck near him. 

Fear seized him, and he cried out, “Help me, Saint Anne!” He then vowed to become a monk, abandoned his law studies, and joined an Augustinian monastery. 

Luther dedicated himself to the monastic life that consisted of fasting, long hours of prayer, pilgrimages, and regular confessions. But even as a priest, he struggled spiritually and felt that his efforts were not enough to achieve salvation. 

He increasingly criticised the Roman Catholic Church, which led to the publication of his 95 Theses, which he nailed to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. In these theses, he also criticised the power of the pope and that you can “buy off” your sins with money. 

This document sparked a debate about church reform and is generally considered the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Naturally, Luther was placed under church censorship and ordered to retract his theses. He refused and was expelled from the church. His actions and teachings led to the emergence of several Protestant churches that broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. 

As a result, the European church landscape changed dramatically. The Lutheran and Reformed churches emerged, the Anglican church in England separated from Rome, and even groups such as the Anabaptists, who emphasised the baptism of believing adults, emerged during this time. 

The impact one man had is remarkable, all because he felt the camp he was in at the time wasn’t teaching the complete truth. He allowed the Holy Spirit to lead him, rather than the church of the day.  

9Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. But whoever stays with the teaching, stays faithful to both the Father and the Son. 

Jesus is the beginning and the end of our faith. Without Him, we would have no chance of reaching our Heavenly Father. 

If you’re not on Jesus’ side, you’re going to miss the bus. But if you’re on His side, you don’t have to worry about anything. There may be people in your sphere of influence who are still unsure. Why don’t you tell them about the camp you’re in? 

Scripture
2 John 1:7-13 

Reflection
Are you sure you’re in the right camp?
Is everybody around you also in that camp?
What can you do to show others in which camp you are? 

Prayer
Jesus, I believe You are the Saviour. Let me live in a way that the world can see it. Amen.