Yesterday, I took a city tour of Dublin and one of the things that struck me was how the Trinity College was founded in 1592. According to the tour guide it was established under the order of Queen Elizabeth of England to spread Protestantism in Ireland. Whether this worked or not I am not sure. But as I reflect on this, it's amazing how God did a marvelous thing during that time of history we call the Reformation. We are now great beneficiaries of the light that God shed forth on men like Martin Luther and John Calvin. The course of history was forever changed by the re-discovery of the great truth of salvation by grace alone in Christ Jesus. I can just imagine the fervor of those times as men and women grapple with the fresh wind of change that was sweeping the European continent.

At the same time, I am also reminded that the spiritual warfare fought by the Reformers is still going on. Scattered in the streets of Dublin are posters calling for "equality" in marriage. Just three days before I arrived, Ireland become the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage through popular vote. Our battles are different. But we still need to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. Massive changes are happening around the world that challenges our Christian faith. We are called upon to be faithful even as the world tries to marginalize Biblical truths.