Series: Our Reformation
Sermon: Our Reformation
Speaker and Writer: Japhet De Oliveira

Refresh: Open with prayer. Ask God for understanding through the Holy Spirit.

​Read: 2 Timothy 3:1-4:8 (NIV). As you read the New International Version, note 1–3 insights or questions.

Reflect: Nicholas P. Miller, in The Reformation and the Remnant, highlights how within the Adventist “tribe” we have used all three principles of scriptural interpretation (sola scriptura, prima scriptura, and tota scriptura) to be faithful to the word of God. 

Our pioneers understood that people could talk about right and wrong, about truth and error, even outside the parameters of the Bible. They were involved in political issues, such as the abolition of slavery, the prohibition of alcohol, and health and temperance reform. They could be involved in these issues in part because they could talk about them using moral language drawn not only from the Bible, but also from the world of human moral reasoning as well. Those who believe only in sola scriptura cannot do this. But a balanced and careful use of sola scriptura, along with prima and tota scriptura, opens up these possibilities. To rediscover the balance among these vital scriptural principles, we need to listen to the Reformers and to our own pioneers. (p. 32)

It seems that this is the process required in order to make bold statements—and in order to protest and reform an area of our lives. Yet I sense that most of us today are content with being shallow rather than deep in our understanding of the Bible. We tend to function—in woodworking terms—as a thin veneer, producing a nice-looking but ultimately artificial surface—rather than a thick, mature, and solid block of hardwood. In the first house that Becky and I bought in England, it took more than four months of us stripping layer after layer after layer after layer of paint and wallpaper before we found the walls, and layers of carpet and tile before we found the floor. The previous owners had decided that that wallpaper should be added on top of wallpaper, and that carpet should be placed over old tile. Stripping everything down was a cathartic experience. It was often beautiful to see the raw brick or wood that formed the basic structure of the house—and at other times it was a bit frightening. We could have concluded so much about the house based on the layers that were presented to us at first viewing, but the hard work of stripping it down allowed us to discover the potential of design and style. 

The same is for our faith journey. Too many layers that have been accumulated over the years need to be peeled away, allowing us to discover the rich potential of the life Jesus calls us to live.

Recalibrate: What conclusions have you had to change since you discovered the Gospel?

Respond: Pray for the courage to hear the truth of the Gospel and allow it to reform your life

Research: Read Acts 8.