I hope you’re enjoying our 5 SOLAS study as much as I am. 

WHAT IS SOLUS CHRISTUS? 

Solus Christus (or Solo Christo), “through Christ alone”, is the biblical teaching that Christ is the only mediator between God and man (1Tim2:5) and that there is salvation in no one else (Acts4:12). Salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone and is only possible by the finished work of Christ alone. Salvation is not achieved by living a good life or by being a member of a particular church. 

Salvation can only be given by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. He is the only way to salvation and the only way one may have access to the Father. He clearly made this claim about himself, as recorded in John 14:6, when he said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Because of Christ’s perfect life and sacrificial death, man can be reconciled to God. 
‘God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them… He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him’. (2 Cor 5:19,21) 

We don’t need others to plead our case before the Father, whether they be spiritual leaders or godly saints who have gone before us. All believers have free access to God through Christ. Christ is our mediator, the only mediator necessary, as 1Tim2:5, there is “one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” And He is our Great High Priest. Those who put their trust in Him can draw near to God’s throne to receive mercy, grace, and help in times of need (Heb4:14-16).

 “We must come in the name of Jesus,—standing on no other ground,—pleading no other plea than this, Christ died on the cross for the ungodly, and I trust in Him. Christ died for me, and I believe on Him.”” – JC Ryle
#solideogloria

 Today is Part 4 of our SOLAS series, WHAT IS SOLA GRATIA?

Sola Gratia, Grace Alone, was a key issue of the Reformation, and is a distinguishing characteristic separating the true gospel from the false.

Our salvation is all of grace, a gift from God in every sense, from start to finish. We are absolutely and completely saved by grace and grace alone. We contribute nothing to our salvation but the sin which makes it necessary. Even our faith is a gracious gift from God. He has dealt each one a measure of faith, according to Rom12:3. As Paul says in 1Cor13:2, “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” Everything we have is a gift from God. 

Left to our own devices, no one seeks after God (Rom3:10-11). There is but one seeker, God. In fact, Jesus came to seek and to save the lost (Lk19:10). He is the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb12:2).

Salvation isn’t a result of our own desires or a decision we’ve made or a prayer we’ve prayed or the works we’ve done.

God saves us because of His mercy and goodness, not because of our awesomeness. It isn’t that we are irresistible, or special, or that He couldn’t bear eternity without us, not because we are worthy or because He saw something in us worth saving, but because of who He is. He is a Savior. 

Without Sola Gratia, we are standing on shaky ground. How could we ever be confident that we have done enough or gotten it right or that we’ve had enough faith for salvation? Sola Gratia puts our focus on Christ and the grace that we have been given freely because of His perfect life and sacrificial death on behalf of believers. That is what we trust in and where our salvation safely lies. 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”‭‭ Eph2:8-9‬ ‭

Today is Part 3 of our 5 SOLAS series. 

WHAT IS SOLA FIDE?

 Sola Fide, Faith Alone, answers the question of ‘on what basis can sinful man be declared justified by a Holy God?’

 Sola Fide declares that a believer’s justification is through faith ALONE. As Galatians 2:16 says, man is “justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law”. In Philippians 3:9, Paul speaks of being found in Christ, “not having a righteousness of [his] own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith”.

 Salvation has always through faith, even way back in Genesis when Abraham believed God and his belief was counted as righteousness (see Genesis 15:1-6 & Romans 4). “…Man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified”(Galatians 2:6)

Luther described Sola Fide as “the article with and by which the church stands and falls”. Indeed, Sola Fide is the doctrine which separates Christianity from the cults. Most every aberrant religion fails the test of sola fide, veering off the path of salvation through faith alone and adding works to the equation. Galatians 5:4 clearly speaks against this, stating that those who seek to justify themselves by obedience to the law are actually severed from Christ and have fallen away from grace. Salvation can only be given through faith.

 Today we are covering Part 2 of our FIVE SOLAS series. 

WHAT IS SOLA SCRIPTURA? 

Sola Scriptura, Scripture Alone, the idea that scripture is the only authority for salvation and life of a believer, was the basis of the Reformation. During the middle ages, extra biblical practices and teachings, based on empty philosophy and the traditions of men, had taken over the church. The purity and simplicity of the gospel was hidden from the people. Reformers cried out for a return to Sola Scriptura. 

On past Thursdays, we have covered both the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. Sola Scriptura is based on these principles. 

Scripture is the Word of God, and therefore the ultimate authority. Scripture is completely sufficient, containing everything a believer needs to live the Christian life. 

2 Tim 3:16,17 tells us “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work”.

 Nothing should be added to or subtracted from God’s Word. “Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.” (Prov30:5,6). 

As Paul warns, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ” (Col2:8). 

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their elevation of tradition and demotion of God’s Word, saying, “why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?..You have nullified the word of God, for the sake of your tradition” (Matt15:3,6). 

Jude opens his letter mentioning “the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (v3), and in doing so, makes clear that the faith has already been delivered to us. 

No other writings or revelations are to been seen as necessary, equal to, or competing with God’s Word. The Reformers were against the unbiblical, extra biblical, and anti biblical doctrines of their day, as we ought to be today.