The fourteenth century was a dark time for the church in England. Superstition and error obscured the truth of the gospel, and even the clergy had little knowledge of the Bible. Against this bleak backdrop, God raised up a scholar and preacher who would stand with conviction on His Word, even if it meant standing alone.
Trusting Scripture as his highest authority, John Wycliffe believed the Bible was what England needed most. Only through the Word of God would the Holy Spirit reform hearts and, in turn, reform the church. But for this to happen, Wycliffe knew that everyday people needed to have the Bible in their own language.
In The Bible Convictions of John Wycliffe, Dr. Steven Lawson tells how Wycliffe's devotion to the gospel made him the forerunner of the Reformation who translated the Bible into English for the first time. We're indebted to him for our English Bibles today, and his story can encourage us to establish our convictions on God's Word.