In this post I am going to focus on the blessings of the Protestant Reformation that have been passed down to us. The Reformation helped reclaim essential doctrines for the Christian Church. The Five Solas of the Reformation are: sola Scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus, and soli Deo gloria. These truths are essential to biblical Christianity. Here is a brief overview of the Five Solas:
Sola Scriptura
As Christians, we believe the Word of God is the sole authority in all matters. Scripture is the sole source of God’s special revelation (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; cf. Prov. 30:5; Ps. 12:6; 145:13). Tradition, emotion, and preference are not divine revelation and must be submitted to the Word of God. Francis Schaeffer observes, “The Reformers went back to the teaching of the Bible and the early church and removed the humanistic elements which had been added.”[1]
Sola Fide
Scripture teaches us that faith alone is required for receiving salvation. There are no acts or ceremonies which contribute to one’s regeneration. Salvation is by faith alone (Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 4:1-8; Gal. 2:15-16; 3:2-3). This does not negate the need for repentance. Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. Scripture teaches that for one to exercise saving faith he must first repent of his sin (Luke 24:47; Rom. 2:4; 2 Cor. 7:10; Heb. 6:1; Acts 17:30-31; 20:21).
Sola Gratia
Scripture teaches us that salvation is by grace alone. No one is saved by works but by the grace of God. Grace is the unmerited favor of God bestowed upon the one who receives Christ by faith (Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 5:1-2; Gal. 2:21).
Solus Christus
Scripture teaches us that salvation in Christ is received by faith through grace. So, salvation is found in Christ alone (John 3:16-17; John 14:6; 1:11-12; Acts 4:12; 5:31; Rom. 10:9-13; 1 John 5:12-13). The Lord Jesus is God incarnate. He is truly God and truly man (from The Council of Chalcedon, 451 A.D.).[2] One must come to Christ in repentance and faith to be reconciled to God. In Christ alone, not through any other intermediary (not Mary, not the Pope, not a priest) is salvation found.
Soli Deo Gloria
Scripture teaches that God alone is to receive glory (Ps. 96:3; 1 Cor. 10:31; 6:20; cf. John 12:28). Salvation is the work of God. He is to receive glory, honor, and praise. There is no one else who receives glory for redemption, reconciliation, and sanctification. There is no man, saint, or clergy member who is to receive glory. Glory be to the triune God alone.
These Five Solas helped recover and preserve the essentials of biblical Christianity. They had a significant effect on the Church and the culture. The Solas even affected the arrangement of the church platform. Prior to the Reformation, the pulpit was physically located off to the side and the altar was central. In the Roman Catholic Church, the altar was centrally located (behind the rood screen)[3] because that is where the Roman Mass was observed. This made the re-crucifixion of Christ the focus and means of meeting with God. This is an extrabiblical view and practice. Christ died once for sin (Heb. 9:28). He will never die or be offered as a sacrifice again (Rev. 1:18). The Protestant Reformation led to the pulpit being moved to the center of the platform rather than off to the side. Why? Scripture is central and the sole means of God’s special revelation to humanity. It is sufficient for life and ministry. God’s Word reveals the Lord to us (Heb. 1:1-2). It is how he speaks to us (2 Pet. 1:20-21). Schaeffer writes, “As the rood screen was removed in the churches – because with an open Bible the people had direct access to God – so also in a direct approach to God the congregations were allowed to sing again for the first time in many centuries.”[4] The Word of God is the center of our gathering and worship.
The Reformation helped recover and preserve the centrality of the Word of God. The Word overrules tradition, preferences, and creeds. Scripture reveals Christ to us. Scripture reveals to us the way of salvation. Scripture reveals to us how God wants his people to think and live. Scripture reveals to us how we are to worship. No other source communicates to us in the same way. So, nothing else should take the place of the Word in the gathered church or the Christian life. This means that other elements should be secondary or even lower on the list of priorities (sometimes not even to be included). I will expand on this in the future (i.e. the Regulative Principle).
May you treasure and prioritize the Word of God in your Christian life and in your gatherings with your local church. Soli Deo Gloria!
[1] Francis August Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture. (Old Tappan, NJ: Crossway Books, 1983), 87.
[2] https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/truly-god-truly-man-council-chalcedon
[3] The rood screen is a physical screen that separated the laity from the clergy and the altar. It communicates the separation between God and man. It also depicts the distinction between the clergy and the laity.
[4] Francis August Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture. (Old Tappan, NJ: Crossway Books, 1983), 90.