Sola Gratia

Sola gratia (“by grace alone”). God’s grace alone, not human goodness and effort, saves sinners. Evangelical theology does not teach people to look for salvation in sacraments, good works, or “decisions for Christ.” It stands opposed to notions of human freedom, willpower, or merit. Salvation belongs to the Lord. The words of Christ resonate with us: “You must be born again” (John 3:7). This implies that mankind is deeply corrupted by sin and that we are unable to save ourselves (Rom. 3:10–12; 8:7–8; Eph. 2:1–3). Salvation is not a matter of receiving instructions about how to help yourself out of a predicament; in salvation, God raises those who are dead in sin to a new life of faith, hope, and love (Eph. 2:5–10).

Sovereign grace exalts God in blessing us and humbles us in receiving his blessing. Grace calls us (Gal. 1:15), regenerates us (Titus 3:5), justifies us (Rom. 3:24), sanctifies us (Heb. 13:20–21), and preserves us (1 Pet. 1:3–5). We need grace to quicken us, to forgive us, to return us to God, to heal our broken hearts, to strengthen us in times of trouble and spiritual warfare, and to keep us to the end. Sovereign grace crushes our pride. We want to be the agents of salvation, not mere recipients. By nature, we rebel against sovereign grace, but God knows how to break our rebellion and make us friends of this grand doctrine. When God teaches sinners that they are depraved to the very core, sovereign grace becomes the most encouraging doctrine of all. From election to glorification, grace reigns in splendid isolation and locates all our life and joy in the Lord.