What are the Five Solas?
Sola Scriptura
(Scripture Alone)
Our ultimate authority is the Word of God, inspired and infallible. Scripture alone guides our faith and life, standing above human traditions and opinions. (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
This extremely high view of Scripture is the one clearly embraced by Jesus Himself. When answering a question posed to Him by the Sadducees concerning the resurrection, Jesus quoted a passage in the book of Exodus. In doing so He said, “…have you not read what was spoken to you by God…?” (Matthew 22:31).
Sola Fide
(Faith Alone)
We are justified by faith alone, not by our works. Through faith, we receive Christ’s righteousness, counted as righteous before God solely because of our trust in Him. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Justification by faith alone is at the very heart of the Gospel. Recognizing our sin, we come to the end of all self-help methods of salvation. Instead, we look away from ourselves to find forgiveness and righteousness in Christ. A verse which awoke Martin Luther to this was Romans 1:17 which says, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH.”
Sola Gratia
(Grace Alone)
Salvation is a gift of God’s grace unearned and undeserved. It is by grace alone that we are redeemed, lifted from sin and granted eternal life. (Romans 3:24).
Romans 11:6 says, “But if it (salvation) is by grace, it is no longer of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.” Further, Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast.” In these words, the Apostle Paul destroys all notions of salvation by works. The Bible is crystal clear on this vital issue. We are saved by the grace of God which is received through faith, and works play no part at all.
Solus Christus
(Christ Alone)
Christ alone is our Savior, Mediator, and Lord. There is no other name by which we are saved; our hope and redemption are found only in Him. (Acts 4:12)
“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Bible is clear: the Lord Jesus Christ is the only mediator through whose work we are redeemed. It is not Christ plus someone or something else. Christ, the eternal Word made flesh; truly God and truly man, saves by Himself alone.
Soli Deo Gloria
(To the Glory of Cod Alone)
All that we are and all that we do is for God’s glory. Our lives, salvation, and purpose are directed to magnify His name above all else. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Isaiah 48:11 God boldly declares: “For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.” God’s glory will not be shared. Human merit (or works) play no part whatsoever in a person’s salvation but are merely the by-product, or fruit, of a relationship with God, established by God’s grace alone (Eph. 2:8-10). Because of this, God, and only God, gets the glory for our salvation.