The Five Solas of the Reformation-Grace Alone!
Hello, friends! We are going to start a new little series and adventure today. We are going to discover or review the Five Solas of the reformation. These are also known as the "five alones" being translated from Latin. These were a battle cry of the reformation and are still so important to a solid foundation for us today. They are some of the most basic pillars to the reformed faith along with TULIP.
Reformed Christians say we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone, standing on Scripture alone. I love these five points and can't wait to examine each one briefly to see how they are so helpful for our understanding of theology and our christian walk!
Today, grace alone, or sola gratia is up to the plate. We are saved by grace alone. I love the truth of it! Do you really believe that? Does your theology line up with this statement? It is an issue that has been a point of contention in church history and even throughout churches in contemporary times.
The Pelagian Controversy
In the late fourth century this concept of grace alone was at the heart of a debate between St. Augustine and Pelagius, a British monk. Augustine wrote, "Grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou dost desire" as part of a prayer. This provoked Pelagius and he became what we would today describe as 'triggered'! hahaha! Pelagius visited Rome and was appalled by how relaxed any members of the church and clergy were. He attributed this to the teaching of Augustine. Augustine taught what is closer to modern reformed thought concerning salvation. He posited that man is saved by grace alone because his will is affected by sin and the fall of man, so God has to intervene. It is apart from his works or the merit of his works. Pelagius taught that the fall of man did not impart sin to the descendants of Adam and therefore man is capable of working with God in his salvation, that it isn't fully by grace alone. I would argue that many modern Christians may line up with Pelagius, with or without being aware of it. But, keep in mind, the teachings of Pelagius were rejected by the early church as heresy.
Arminius
In the late 1600's, Arminius who is seen as a successor to Pelagius came along and taught that God's grace did provide atonement for our sins, but it only made us savable. It is something that can be accepted or rejected and
has to be cooperated with. The position of the catholic church became that grace was infused in us so that we are able to become righteous ourselves and have a righteousness to contribute to our salvation. This is what the reformers took issue with. Sola gratia is at the heart of the reformation because they believed that man is totally incapable of saving himself. He neither desires, believes, or understands the things of God. He must be enabled, because apart from Grace, he can't come to God (or won't want to). Man contributes nothing, he merely receives what has been graciously offered by God.
Sola Gratia
A simple and biblical definition of grace is the unmerited favor of God. God is just and cannot overlook sin. Every act of grace he shows us is a merciful condescension.
"23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24).
At Eden, mankind broke covenant with God, and justly deserves its punishment.
"But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me" (Hosea 6:7).
The just wage of a covenant breaker is the wrath of God, which is holy.
"17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat[a] of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)
But God had a plan from the start, to bring his son who would willingly lay down his life and be a substitute for us. He took the wrath that was owed to us. What an amazing exchange and one we surely don't deserve, my friends!
"9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10)
God's undeserved favor, his grace alone, is what saves us from perishing in our sins and transgressions of his law. That is something to always be thankful for! Boldly proclaim grace alone, sola gratia. I am humbled so much by this reality of our salvation. He restored us to a loving relationship that we don't even deserve to be in. He is love and he is holy! He revealed his grace and mercy in such a great fashion through the cross. He also revealed his holiness and his wrath on the cross. I love knowing that I don't have to cooperate to earn my salvation. I love knowing I am saved to my works and not by them. I love knowing I am saved by grace alone, and give all the credit to him. The reformers saw that this tenant mirrored what is taught in scripture closer than what the church of their day taught. What do you believe? Do you hang your hat on his unmerited favor at the end of the day, or do you cling to the crumbling stronghold of the natural will of man and the filthy rags of your own works? Search the scriptures. Lay down your burdens. Give up the fight. Surrender to his freeing grace. Until next time, this is Blake signing out.
