The Next Reformation

Is there a need for a reformation in our day? Yes!, says Ken Jones. In speaking at the conference in Miami, Ken Jones told us that a Reformation is needed, but not like those in the past. In Josiah's day (2 Kings 23) the reformation was because the Word of God was lost. Josiah led the people of God in finding and restoring the Word in their midst. The second reformation was under Martin Luther (1483-1546). This reformation was not because the Word of God was lost, but was because the Word of God was closed. Luther led the people of God in the rediscovery of the truth but opening the Bible to all people. In our day, however, the Word of God is not lost nor is it closed. We have open Bibles every Sunday all over the country. The Reformation today would need to be because the Word of God is misinterpreted and misappropriated. In other words, this will be an open-Bible Reformation! Yet, Jones told us that for this to be true and God-glorifying, there are 5 necessary presuppositions:

1. The Bible is the inerrant, infallible, and inspired Word of God.
2. Sola Scriptura - The Bible is the only infallible authority for faith and conduct.
3. The people and events of the Bible are real and historically accurate .
4. The Bible is a collection of literary genres, interpreted accordingly .
5. Understanding the Bible is understanding the literary nuances ("A passage can never mean what it never meant").

The reason why hermeneutics matters is because the next reformation matters. The next reformation will glorify God because it will do in essence what the two previous ones did, reveal His glory anew to His people. Whenever the people of God get a clearer vision of God they are not only reformed, they are revived.