The Solas
“Sola” is Latin for “alone,” and each of the following solas is a principle drawn from Scripture to help us read it properly. Some churches have a fifth sola, but we will focus on the four most important, grace, faith, Christ, and Scripture.
Grace Alone
Sola Gratia, or Grace Alone comes from passages such as John 17:1-3, Luke 12:8-9, and John 14:6. Because Jesus Himself claims the right to give salvation, we cannot claim salvation by anything we do, no works or merit on our part. Salvation is pure gift, and it is given freely on account of Christ, imputed (not infused) on our behalf. Imputed simply means that God assigns us value, not because we have value, but because of Christ. His divine and perfect value is assigned to us because He was obedient to His Father, even to death. Grace alone!
Faith Alone
Sola Fide, or Faith Alone, is based on Paul’s words to the Ephesian church, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). The same teaching is found elsewhere, such as in John 3:16, and Romans 3:21-31. Christ won salvation by dying on the cross and completing His Father’s will. He trusted in His Father, even to death on a cross, which is more than we can say about Adam (Genesis 3:1-13). His faith, in other words, is what saved us. And we receive this salvation by believing (having faith) in Christ and His saving work. Faith receives the salvation won for us — it is no work we do.
Christ Alone
Sola Christus, or Christ Alone, comes from our Lord’s own words in Luke 24:44-46: “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, ‘Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.'” All Scripture points to Christ Jesus and Him alone; His saving work upon the cross. He also says in John 5:39, “You search the Scriptures…and it is they that bear witness about me.” Jesus is at the center of our reading, our faith, our church, and our life. Otherwise, we cannot understand the Scripture, we cannot have faith, we cannot worship aright, and we cannot live truly in the life He has given us.
Scripture Alone
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) comes from such passages as 2 Timothy 3:14-16 and 2 Peter 1:12-21. The main author of the Bible is God Himself which is what Paul means when he writes, “God-breathed.” And since God is the author, and those whom He chose to use to write the Scripture (Prophets and Apostles) were “carried along by the Holy Spirit,” we can most certainly trust the Scripture for it is the infallible and inspired Word of God put to pen and paper. But we do not mean “Scripture Only” but “Scripture Alone.” This means that other writings such as those of the church fathers, of the Reformers, and of faithful pastors even today, provided they are faithful to Scripture alone, are profitable to use in the church. Sermons have authority, despite the fact they are not merely word-for-word Bible. The Lutheran Confessions are trustworthy because they are true/faithful to Scripture.
