The five solas in plain English
Five short Reformation phrases that guard the heart of the gospel.
Scripture alone
The Bible is the final authority over every tradition, teacher, and feeling. Good teachers and creeds help us, but they answer to Scripture.
Grace alone
Salvation is God's undeserved gift. You didn't earn it, so you can't lose it by failing to earn it.
Faith alone
We receive Christ's righteousness through trust, not through our works. Good works follow faith; they don't add to it.
Christ alone
Jesus is the only mediator between God and people. No other sacrifice, saint, or system is needed.
To the glory of God alone
Since God does the saving, He gets the credit. That frees you from the burden of trying to be your own savior.
From Scripture
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
Put it into practice
- Which sola comforts you most right now? Tell God why.
- Read Galatians 2:16 and underline every mention of faith.
These notes are pastoral commentary. Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible.