THE FIVE SOLAE

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is as light shining unto a dark world, and the Five Solas are the best representation of this Gospel as described in the Bible. What we think about the Christian faith and how we behave in relation to it is entailed by the Five Solas. 


Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

— Galatians 1:3-5

Soli Deo Gloria
To God Alone Be Glory

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
— 1 Timothy 1:17


The Latin phrase "Soli Deo Gloria" simply means to God alone be glory. God alone is worthy of worship. God alone is worthy of praise.

 
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.
— Psalm 148:13


The way we think, the manner in which we act, worship, preach, teach, live, and anything else—these ought to glorify God, and glorify Him alone.


When the Five Solas are listed, Soli Deo Gloria is typically listed last. We've chosen to set it first because the end of the other four Solas is to glorify God, and we want a constant reminder that all that we do ought to glorify God. Unlike the other four Solas, we've not associated Soli Deo Gloria with an image. God, and His glory, cannot be represented by images, graven or otherwise.


Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;

the whole earth is full of his glory.
— Isaiah 6:3





Solus Christus

Christ Alone

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
— 1 Corinthians 2:2


The Gospel is the person and work of Jesus Christ. Both his person and his works are perfect and without blemish. They glorify God the Father, and cannot be added to or subtracted from, augmented or diminished; neither can they be equaled or approximated. 


Thus, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
— Acts 4:12


Justification of sinners and reconciliation with God only occurs through the work of Christ Jesus alone. It is a thing of great boasting and sin to suggest that man could add to the work of Christ.


Christ is also the only mediator between God and his people, and sits at the right hand of the Father interceding. Neither the Church, saints, angels, or anyone else fulfills this role.


Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
— John 14:6

Sola Gratia

Grace Alone

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
— Ephesians 2:8-9


Salvation arises from and is provided by God's unmerited favor, alone, not based on anything we had done or will do, but in accordance with His good pleasure and will.


Certainly, as it is written, "None is righteous, no not one; no one understands, no one seeks God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."
— Romans 3:10-12


Sola Gratia affirms that the entire process of salvation is by grace alone. God made a way of salvation, sought out his people, regenerated their hearts, empowers their Christian walk, keeps them in Christ's love, and delivers them to eternal life...all through His grace.


He has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
— 2 Timothy 1:8-10

Sola Fide

Faith Alone

For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
— Romans 3:28


Faith is the instrument by which God declares his people to be in right standing with Him. It is the means by which the righteousness of Christ is imputed to believers. And it is the only means by which justification occurs, or said another way—sola fide, faith alone.


The works of sinners are never a ground for justification. The works of regenerated saints are never a ground for justification. Only the perfect work of Christ is a ground for justification, and that is imputed to believers only through faith, and faith alone.


And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness of God which depends on faith
— Philippians 3:9

Sola Scriptura

Scripture Alone

Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.
— 1 Corinthians 4:6  


Sola Scriptura means that we follow Scripture alone for matters of the Faith, including both doctrine and practice. We do not recognize as authorities Popes, church councils or traditions, preachers or theologians, confessions, creeds, traditions of men, or any other source. While historical, confessional, and scientific data may be valuable, they are not authoritative. For authority, we appeal to Scripture alone.


Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit, represents Christ, the living and risen Word of God, and is ordained by God the Father as His final revelation to mankind in this age. As such, we further uphold Sola Scriptura by rejecting further and new revelation.


All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
— 2 Timothy 3:16; 17


In relation, we also affirm our faith in Tota Scriptura, which has to do with embracing the whole counsel of God as it is revealed in the entirety of sacred Scripture. Once we remove ourselves from a view of Tota Scriptura, we are free then to pick and choose what portions of Scripture are normative for Christian faith and life. In this case, the Bible is reduced to the status where the whole is less than the sum of its parts – which we reject.


But He (Jesus) answered (to Satan) and said, “It is written: ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

—Matthew 4:4