The philosopher George Santayana once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” While many would agree, few have considered how this truth applies to the message of Christianity. Just 500 years ago, foundational truths like the authority of Scripture, the work of Christ, salvation by faith, the free gift of grace, and the glory of God were not only questioned but worse – they were being deliberately distorted. Much of what was preached had very little to do with Christ and the message proclaimed by the church was not good news at all.

However, in 1517, by God’s grace, a movement called the Reformation began to bring these truths back into focus. Luther, along with others, clarified and defended the core doctrines of the Christian faith with five essential truths that still shape the church today: Scripture alone, Christ alone, Faith alone, Grace alone, and God’s glory alone. If we forget them, take them for granted, or fail to defend them, we’ll risk spreading a version of Christianity that is no longer centered on Christ or filled with good news. Even worse, we’ll miss God’s intended design for the message of the gospel and miss Him in the process.