Why do I love the five solas of the Reformation? I love them because they are truths that focus on the person and work of Jesus Christ in bringing glory to God.
These doctrines should not be divisive among Christians. All the focus is upon Christ. Man is given no credit for his salvation. God receives the glory - as it should be.
As I ponder the five solas, this is what I believe they mean and how they should impact our lives.
1. Sola Scriptura
This is the starting point because the bible is the primary way we know the triune God. Apart from scripture, we could only know enough to be condemned but not saved.
The bible testifies to its own inspiration, permanence, and truthfulness. The bible is full of wonderful truths about God that are continuous blessings from God to us.
Psalm 119:18 says, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law."
Later in Psalm 119:105 we see, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
In light of the inspiration and truth of scripture, the bible must be the primary and final authority in the life and practice of the individual Christian and the church as a whole.
Psalm 119:18 says, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law."
Later in Psalm 119:105 we see, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
In light of the inspiration and truth of scripture, the bible must be the primary and final authority in the life and practice of the individual Christian and the church as a whole.
I do not believe that this automatically means we have to jettison all man-constructed creeds and traditions. However, these must all fall under the authority of the bible. If they in any way conflict with the scriptures, they must be abandoned.
The bible is our ultimate foundation.
2. Sola Gratia
Sola Gratia emphasizes that salvation is completely a gift of God's grace.
God has done all the work required for salvation. We can do nothing to merit being forgiven and knowing God. Therefore, salvation has to be a gift from His gracious hand.
The wonderful verses from Ephesians 2:8-9 inform us, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
We must understand that this means God has done all the work of salvation. We have done none of it. Even our faith is a gift.
The beauty of this is that we can rest in His grace while He gets the glory for accomplishing salvation.
3. Sola Fide
One of the primary cries of the Protestant Reformation was "Justification by faith alone." The reason for this cry was that the Roman Catholic Church had for hundreds of years been teaching what amounted to a works-based salvation. The Reformers found faith alone in the bible.
For example, Galatians 2:16 says, "Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."
This is a beautiful truth for us to embrace. We do not have to continually be working for our salvation because it is not something we can earn. We are declared just before holy God not because of any works we do (which could never be good enough), but because of faith.
4. Solus Christus
Jesus Christ is the sole provider of salvation. No one else is needed or even involved. It is Christ and Him alone who stands as our Mediator before His Father.
I Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
Speaking of Jesus, Peter said in Acts 4:12, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Salvation was accomplished on the cross by Jesus Christ. Through this gracious act we are saved. Our faith links us to Christ. Christ stands in our place.
5. Soli Deo Gloria
This is the end goal and result of everything: that God receives the glory.
Jesus Christ's work on the cross and His subsequent resurrection and ascension were for this very purpose:
Philippians 2:9-11, "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Everything we do, in joyful response to Christ, should have the end goal of glorifying God:
I Corinthians 10:31 tells us, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
I Peter 4:11, "...whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
I Peter 4:11, "...whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
The end goal of the church is the glory of God:
Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Paul sums it all up well when he writes in Romans 11:36, "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."
