Just a quick summary: Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic priest somewhere in Germany, about 500 years ago. After being part of the system, and having observed the way things were done, he came to a conclusion that something was wrong. The church was deep into corruption and manipulation, at worst, the true Biblical Gospel was completely out of sight. He (Luther) then drafted a list of concerns in point form (99 of them) and nailed them on the door of the public arena. The result of that is that Luther’s message spread and affected the entire region – until a complete change (reformation) happened upon the whole church system. Those responsible for spreading Luther’s teaching began to be widely known as Protestants, or better yet, Reformers.
The core issue was the recovery of the true biblical Gospel, under a framework of doctrines called the five Solas. Sola is a Latin term that means alone or only. Here is what it was all about…
Sola Scriptura (Scripture only) – This is the bedrock of the Gospel of our salvation. It means the Gospel we preach didn’t come from a certain man’s angelic vision. Neither is it defined by the church traditions or even the political system but it is a message from the Bible. The only way sinners can be saved is through a Biblical message. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God” (Rom 10:17). Sola Scriptura also means that Scripture is enough to equip and empower believers in all matters concerning life and godliness. We don’t need someone’s dream to tell us how to live the Christian life. Scripture alone!
Sola Gratia (Grace only) – Believe it or not, there are some today who still believe they are saved because of something they did. Say, for example, the amount of “good works” they have accumulated over the years. I challenge you to attend any funeral, even that of a known criminal, and be amazed at how preachers praise dead people for the good things that qualified them for heaven. It shows that people are still a long way to grasping the biblical Gospel. Yet the truth says we are saved by grace alone, not grace plus good works. Salvation is not a reward for the righteous but it is a free gift to the guilty. Jesus didn’t come to save good people, but He came to justify the ungodly. We cannot walk our way into heaven any more than a tortoise can climb a telephone tower. Think of it this way: when someone gives you a gift: do you have to work for it first? Of course not! You just receive it, it’s a gift! That is the definition of saving grace. For that reason, when we all get to heaven no one will have the guts to boast about how they got there, because we will all marvel at His glorious mercies.
Sola Fide (Faith only) – What does it take for God to save a man? Answer: just faith. Again, try to think of faith as you reaching out to receive that gift. It is when you stop relying on yourself but you throw yourself at the mercies of Christ. It is to believe or to trust on what Christ has done for you. That belief; that faith, is the medium by which a sinner is justified. Just as “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Again some misunderstand this and believe that for someone to be saved, they have to do something on top of faith i.e. “be baptized, do good works.” No, faith alone is enough to save a sinner. “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Act 16:30-31)
Solas Christus (Christ only) – This means that there is one Saviour; Christ alone! No one can save themselves. No amount of money can please the Lord, no ancestors, Mother Mary, or any other human priest can be an intermediary between God and the sinner. There is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus; no more, no less. He was, and is the only sacrifice; the only propitiation; the only atonement; the only ransom that God the Father acknowledged and gave for the salvation of sinners – once and for all. “♫What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow!♪”
Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God only) – It is God who is both the author and the finisher of salvation; the one who pities a sinner dead in their sins and quickens them into life. Hence the work of salvation can be credited to Him alone. It is not a dual participation between God and the sinner, but salvation is of the Lord – alone. Therefore, all glory inevitably points to Him. If I did something to save myself then it means I must also have my fair share of the glory. Fortunately, it all began and it will end with the King of the universe. It’s all of God; His power, His grace, His praise. The end goal of the Gospel, therefore, is the glory of God only.
The summary of it all is that salvation is according to Scripture alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone.
If you notice, these five solas are a simple way of explaining the Gospel truth. Once you understand these principles, you are way ahead in your growth as a believer, which also makes it easy for you to share this redemptive story with unbelievers. Let us, therefore, all look back to the Reformation with grateful eyes for the men that God used to preserve this great message of Redemption. This is also the motivating force for what lies ahead: the bold proclaiming of this same message to a dying world. HAPPY REFORMATION!!
Sinothi Ncube
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