The Sola’s
The next subject beyond the five points are what is commonly termed the Sola’s. These are: sola Scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, and soli deo gloria. Sola Scriptura is the teaching that the “Scripture alone” is the churches authority. It is not the Bible and (fill in the blank); Scripture is sufficient for Christ’s church. As the written word of God, it is the only source of the gospel and sanctification for the believer. As such, the scriptures must be preached, taught, expounded, sung, exposited, explained, lived, loved, treasured, translated, obeyed, and memorized (2 Pet. 1:21; Is. 55:10-11; Ps. 19:7-11; Deut. 29:29; 2 Tim. 3:15-16).
Sola gratia means that salvation is by “grace alone.” Man cannot save himself, nor is he willing to come until the Spirit does a work in an unbeliever’s heart. Also, mankind has no merit before God; all humanity stands condemned and worthy of God’s righteous indignation. We have merited or earned hell and judgment. But, God saves sinners by showing them favor. He gives the undeserving forgiveness of sins and eternal life (Gal. 2:21; Rom. 9:16, 11:6, 5:20-27; Eph. 2:1-10).
Sola fide is the teaching that salvation is through “faith alone.” Faith is the channel in which salvation flows. It is the repentant sinner knowing, believing, and trusting Christ and his gospel for salvation. The sinner clings to Christ and is united to the Savior. As a result, the sinner is justified (declared righteous due to the imputed righteousness of Christ), set apart, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and promised glorification (Rom. 3:22, 28, 30; 4:1-15; Eph. 2:8).
Solus Christus means that Christ did the work of salvation, accomplished it on behalf of his elect. “Christ alone” is the only Savior; there is no other. He is the sinners perfect Prophet, Priest, and King. He is the source of salvation, he is salvation. It was Christ that made atonement for sin. It was Christ that propitiated the wrath of the Father. It was Christ who lived a perfect and sinless life, obeying the Father in all things, thereby imputing his active righteousness to believers. It was Christ, the one who knew no sin, that became sin. It was Christ that became a curse. It was Christ that humbled himself and veiled himself in flesh, becoming a man and being tempted in every way that we are, yet without sin. It was Christ that was forsaken on the cross, died a repulsive and horrifying death, buried in a borrowed tomb, and raised on the third day. It is Christ that now lives and makes intercession for his own. Salvation is in Christ alone (1 Pet. 2:24, 3:18; 1 Cor. 15:1-3, 2:2; 2 Cor. 5:21; Acts 4:12, 2:21; Jn. 3:36, 17:3)!
The final sola is soli deo gloria. That is, “glory to God alone.” God does everything for his glory. Everything. He is a jealous God and will not give his glory to another. He demands that creation worship and obey him because he is worthy and glorious. This is far reaching. His creating, preserving, saving, damning, calling, blessing, cursing, giving, taking, judging, humbling, breaking, killing, using, encouraging, building, destroying, guiding, leading, forsaking, condemning, glorifying, hardening, softening, all serve to glorify him. Obviously, this is beyond us, who can even begin to know and understand the mind of the Lord (Rom. 9:22-23, 11:33-36; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16; Is. 48:11, 43:7, 21-25, 60:21; Ps. 25:11, 79:9, 46:10; Neh. 9:10; Dan. 9:15; 1 Jn. 2:12; Phil. 2:13)?
In summary: salvation is in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, as revealed in Scripture alone, for the glory of God alone. It is apparent that these are not man-made doctrines. They are counterintuitive to everything that is in sinful man. These are human-humbling and God-exalting.
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