Anchoring our faith in the Five Solas

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been teaching a high school class about the Five Solas of the Reformation. These foundational principles guided the Protestant Reformation and continue to serve as a robust framework for understanding the Christian faith today. I want to share some of what I’ve shared with them, exploring how these truths help us remain anchored in Scripture while navigating the waves of false doctrines and cultural distractions.

Why study a church confession?

A question often arises when discussing theological frameworks: "Why use a confession or creed? Why not just study the Bible?" Some Christians insist, “I don’t need a creed or confession. All I need is the Bible.”

This sentiment raises an important question: What do we believe the Bible teaches about essential doctrines like salvation, God, or the church? While the Bible is our ultimate authority, it’s also a large and complex book. Historic confessions, such as the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, serve as helpful tools for summarizing and systematically organizing biblical truths. They do not add to Scripture but reflect and articulate its teachings in a way that aids our study and understanding.

The apostle Paul urged the Ephesians not to be “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Eph 4:14). In today’s world, we encounter false teachings everywhere—through conversations, books, social media, and entertainment. Scripture is our anchor, and sound confessions, like the 1689, act as the chain tethering us to that anchor. They guide us back to the unchanging truths of God’s Word.

However, even confessions can feel intimidating to those new to the faith. In such cases, I often encourage people to begin with a simpler framework: the Five Solas of the Reformation.

What are the Five Solas?

The Five Solas summarize the core doctrines of Christianity rediscovered during the Protestant Reformation. They provide a concise answer to how we are saved and why we exist: “According to Scripture alone, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone.”

These truths distinguish biblical Christianity from other religions and even from distorted versions of Christianity. Let’s briefly examine each one.

1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone)

The foundation of the Five Solas is Sola Scriptura. It affirms that Scripture is our ultimate authority in all matters of faith and practice. The Reformers emphasized this truth because, in the medieval church, Scripture was often overshadowed by the traditions and decrees of the church. People couldn’t read the Bible for themselves and were taught to rely on church leaders instead of God’s Word.

Paul writes, “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” (2Ti 3:16–17). These words remind us that the Bible is not merely a sacred text but God’s inspired and inerrant revelation. It teaches us about God, exposes our sins, guides us to righteousness, and equips us for every good work.

This principle challenges us to rely on Scripture as the final word on every matter. While church tradition, confessions, and pastoral guidance can be valuable, they must always be subordinate to God’s Word. When we truly embrace Sola Scriptura, we approach the Bible with humility and obedience, letting it shape our beliefs, actions, and worship.

2. Sola Gratia (grace alone)

The Reformers also affirmed Sola Gratia, the truth that salvation is entirely the result of God’s grace. Ephesians 2:8–9 declares, “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.”

God’s grace is not merely His unmerited favor; it is His demerited favor. We deserve His wrath, yet He extends mercy through Christ. The medieval church taught that salvation required a combination of God’s grace and human effort—grace plus works. In contrast, Scripture reveals that grace is entirely unearned and freely given. It is Christ who fulfills the law on our behalf and bears the punishment for our sins.

Consider the story of a lost boy in the Colorado mountains. Unable to rescue himself, he simply waited for help to arrive. When rescuers found him, they remarked that children are often easier to find than adults because they don’t try to save themselves. In the same way, salvation comes when we cease striving to earn God’s favor and instead rely wholly on His grace.

Grace alone means we have nothing to boast about, for salvation is entirely God’s work. Even the faith by which we receive His grace is a gift. This truth sets Christianity apart from every other religion, all of which teach salvation by works. Grace frees us to live in gratitude, knowing that our salvation depends not on our efforts but on God’s mercy.

3. Sola Fide (faith alone)

Building on Sola Gratia, the Reformers taught that salvation comes through faith alone. Faith is how we receive God’s grace, not a work that earns His favor. As Paul says, “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Ro 3:28).

Jesus illustrates this truth in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9–14). The Pharisee boasted in his good deeds, believing they justified him before God. In contrast, the tax collector humbly prayed, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Lk 18:13). Jesus said the tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified. This parable underscores that justification is not based on our works but on faith in God’s mercy.

Faith alone excludes all boasting. It acknowledges that we bring nothing to the table but our need for salvation. This truth liberates us from the fear of failing to measure up and allows us to rest in the finished work of Christ.

4. Solus Christus (Christ alone)

The fourth Sola, Solus Christus, emphasizes that Jesus Christ alone is the mediator between God and humanity. Salvation is found exclusively in Him. Jesus himself declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn 14:6). This claim is as essential as it is exclusive.

In Jesus’ time, many rejected this exclusivity. The Jewish leaders accused Him of blasphemy, and today, many reject the idea that salvation is available only through Christ. Our culture often promotes the idea that all religions lead to God or that sincerity in any belief is enough. Yet Jesus makes it clear that He is not one of many paths but the only way.

This truth sets Christianity apart. Other religions may honor Jesus as a prophet or moral teacher, but only biblical Christianity affirms Him as the Savior who bore the penalty for our sins. As Peter boldly proclaimed, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Ac 4:12).

Jesus is also the truth. He embodies the fullness of God’s revelation. In a world that views truth as subjective, Christ stands as the ultimate and unchanging truth. As C.S. Lewis observed, Jesus’ claims leave no room for neutrality. He must either be Lord, liar, or lunatic. His resurrection affirms His Lordship and validates His claims.

Finally, Christ is the life. Through His death and resurrection, He conquered sin and death, offering eternal life to all who trust in Him. This life begins now, as we experience the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and continues for eternity in the presence of God. Without Christ, life is ultimately meaningless. Only in Him do we find lasting joy, peace, and purpose.

5. Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone)

The final Sola, Soli Deo Gloria, teaches that everything exists for the glory of God. Paul writes, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Ro 11:36). This statement captures the ultimate purpose of creation: to glorify God.

In the medieval church, salvation was often viewed as something that served the glory of the institution (i.e., the church). Practices like indulgences and penance elevated human effort and the authority of the church above God’s grace. The Reformers rejected this, declaring that salvation is for God’s glory alone, not for the glory of man or any human institution.

Today, our culture struggles with this truth. We live in a world that exalts human autonomy and diminishes the Creator. Modern philosophies reduce life to a purposeless existence, while consumerism and entertainment distract us from living for God’s glory. Even Christians can lose sight of this purpose, becoming so busy and distracted that we fail to honor God in our daily lives.

Yet Soli Deo Gloria calls us back to our ultimate purpose. It reminds us that every aspect of our lives—our work, relationships, and worship—should reflect God’s glory. As C.S. Lewis beautifully illustrates in Prince Caspian, the more we grow in faith, the bigger God becomes in our eyes. Our calling is to magnify His glory, proclaiming His worth to a watching world.

When we embrace this truth, we find true joy and fulfillment. The pursuit of self-glory leaves us empty and restless, but living for God’s glory aligns us with the purpose for which we were created. It frees us from the tyranny of self-centeredness and lifts our eyes to the eternal.

Anchored in the gospel

The Five Solas—Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, for the glory of God alone—offer a clear and biblical framework for understanding the gospel. They remind us of the sufficiency of God’s Word, the freeness of His grace, the necessity of faith, the exclusivity of Christ, and the ultimate purpose of His glory.

These truths are not mere theological abstractions. They are profoundly practical. They anchor us in the storms of false teaching and cultural confusion, providing clarity and confidence as we follow Christ. Whether you are a new believer intimidated by the vastness of Scripture or a seasoned Christian seeking to remain faithful, the Five Solas point us back to the heart of the gospel and the God who saves.

As Gabriel Fluhrer writes in The Beauty of Divine Grace:

The Five Solas offer us the biblical Jesus. The One who was unswervingly committed to the inerrancy and final authority of the Scriptures. The One who taught us that grace alone, through faith alone, is the only way to salvation. The One who glorified God alone through every minute of His life because He knows that we cannot.

This is the Jesus we need. This is the Jesus the world needs. And through the Five Solas, we meet Him, not as a distant, impersonal figure but as the Savior who offers eternal life to all who trust in Him.

To Him alone be the glory. Amen.

Recommended reading

The Five Solas Series (5 Volumes) edited by Matthew Barrett

The Unfinished Reformation: What Unites and Divides Catholics and Protestants Today by Gregg Allison and Chris Castaldo

The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World by Stephen J. Nichols