Reformation Solas
Grace alone ‒ God is love. Out of goodness and graciousness God created the world and provides for its needs. God created you and provides for all you need because that is who He is. God gives His of Himself, His very life that others might live. Furthermore, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit did not abandon His creation when humanity fell and turned away from God and His glory. God remained true to Himself ‒ loving, gracious, and merciful. God promised to send His Son, the Word made flesh, for our salvation: For God loved the world in this way that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
Christ alone ‒ Christ Jesus, God in the flesh, is the meritorious cause for our justification before God. God is gracious to justify, to declare righteous and forgive sinners who are lacking the glory of God because of the faithful actions of Jesus. St. Paul writes: For all sinned and are lacking the glory of God, while being declared righteous undeservedly by His grace through the redemption, the one in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth publicly as an atoning sacrifice, through faith in His blood (Romans 3:23-24). The blood of Christ Jesus was shed as the propitiation, the blood sacrifice that covers and removes sin and all its damning effects. God is gracious to forgive you solely because Jesus’ shed blood was shed for you. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World!
Faith alone, in Christ (in His Words and Promises to you in Baptism) ‒ Through the Gospel, the Holy Spirit calls you and other sinners to believe in Christ because by His works your redemption has been won. St. Paul writes: So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ Romans 10:17). For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Scripture alone, testifies to Christ ‒ Jesus said: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39). St. Paul writes: ...”the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
Glory to God alone, in Christ ‒ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14). Jesus said: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (John 12:23-28).
In Christ,
Pastor Josh