To God Alone Be the Glory

INTRODUCTION

Today we are concluding our study of the 5 solas of the Reformation

We have already said the 5 solas were formulated in the 16th century by the Reformers in “response to the abuses and errors of the Roman Catholic Church.” (Table Talk, Ligonier Ministries, November 2012)

The Roman Catholic Church said it was Grace plus merit, faith plus works, Christ plus other mediators, Scripture plus tradition, and God’s glory plus Mary and Saints.

The Reformers answered by saying it’s none of this...

We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, for the glory of God alone

Today we are looking at the last sola, Soli Deo Gloria, which literally means, “To God Alone the Glory”

The Roman Catholic church was dedicated to Mary and gave her glory alongside of Christ

But little did the Church realize that Isaiah 42:8 says, “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.”

Or Exodus 20:5 where God says He is “a jealous God” therefore they were to “have no other gods” (v.3) nor were they to “make for [themselves] idols” (v.4) to “worship” or “serve them” (v.5)

God does not share His glory with anyone and He certainly does not share it with Mary or any other saint

He alone is to be praised and worshiped

The veneration of Mary and saints was excessive and idolatrous in the Roman Catholic Church

It distracted from the sole focus of God’s glory, which is what Soli Deo Gloria signified

When you consider the 4 other solas, that’s the reason for the 5th

He is to be glorified because of who He is and what He has done for sinners

We give Him glory because of His grace and faith that He has granted us

We give Him glory because of Christ and the work of salvation

So as we look at this last sola, we are going to see that it is “the glue that holds the solas together”

And it “captures the Reformer’s belief that the glory of God demands reform in every sphere of life.”

As 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

There were many areas that were eventually reformed

Today we are going to look at 3 of them

The first was...

I. Corporate Worship

John 4:24, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.””

That was not only said to the Samaritan woman, Jesus says that to us too

We are to “worship God” (Rev.22:19) but in the manner in which he prescribes

That was important to the Reformers

So they made several significant reforms to the corporate worship

The first was...

The Removal of Referring to the Mass as a Sacrifice

When you hear the word “Mass” or “Eucharist”, they are referring to the same thing in the Roman Catholic Church

In our language this would be “the Lord’s Supper”

One of the key theological points of contention between Luther and the Roman Catholic Church was the understanding of the Eucharist, Mass or the Lord’s Supper

The Roman Catholic view which is called Transubstantiation, meaning “a change of substance,” teaches “that a miracle takes place at the eucharist (the Mass) in which the elements of the bread and wine are actually changed into the literal body and blood of Christ.

The Creed of Pope Pius IV stated: ‘I profess that in the Mass is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead;...there is truly, really, and substantially, the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that there is a conversion of the whole substance of the wine into the blood.’

Luther stopped referring to the Eucharist as a "sacrifice"

Instead he focused on its memorial and communal aspects

Second...

The Removal of Relics, Paintings, Decorations and Ornaments

1 John 5:21, “Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”

Ulrich Zwingli was a Swiss theologian and the leader of the Swiss Reformation during the early 16th century

He advocated for changes to the way churches were adorned

He believed in removing religious practices and symbols that were inconsistent with the Scriptures

So he worked with city authorities and other likeminded believers to make these changes

There were 5 ways that he and his followers removed the relics, paintings, decorations, and ornaments from church buildings:

First was through a practice known as...

Iconoclasm

This was the deliberate destruction or removal of religious images, statutes, paintings, and any other visual representations that were idolatrous

The second was through...

Educational Reforms

Zwingli promoted education and the study of the Bible

He encouraged the reading and interpretation of Scripture emphasizing personal engagement with the text rather than relying on visual aids or relics

The third was through...

Public Debates and Sermons

Zwingli engaged in public debates and preached sermons that taught the people that the relics were nothing more than superstitious displays

Fourth was through...

Collaboration with Authorities

Zwingli had the support of local authorities in Zurich

The city council and other influential figures shared his desire for reform and they worked together to implement changes in the churches

And last was through...

Gradual Process

It took time for all of this

It involved careful consideration and the support of the community

Not only did they remove referring to the Mass as a sacrifice and remove relics, paintings, decorations, and ornaments from church buildings, but they also...

The Removal of Extra-Biblical Ceremonies and Rituals

Martin Bucer, who also was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation, focused on simplifying religious practices and emphasizing Scriptural authority

He did that by keeping an emphasis on Scripture, expository preaching, education and training, dialogues and disputations and example and influence

He also worked on liturgical reforms by emphasizing the importance of biblical principles over traditional ceremonies

He also worked closely with local authorities

Next there was...

The Congregations Participation in the Corporate Worship

This occurred when the language was changed from Latin to the language of the people

Up to this point the congregation were spectators

But now they were participating in singing

Martin Luther was largely responsible for this

That’s why the historian Roland Bainton said that Martin Luther should be considered the father of congregational singing

He emphasized the importance of hymns in worship

It is estimated that Luther composed around 37 hymns

One of those hymns we sing is “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”

Psalm 104:33, “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.”

The Reformation cry of Soli Deo Gloria clearly reformed the sphere of corporate worship. Yet, it is significant that it not only altered the theory, but the practice. If God alone was to be given all the glory, one did not just need to think differently, but also act differently.

Ellison, S. D.. Five: The Solas of the Reformation (p. 71). Tulip Publishing. Kindle Edition.

The second sphere of life to be reformed by Soli Deo Gloria was...

II. Church Government

This change was much slower

Even though Martin Luther maintained the episcopal system of church government, which had its authority vested in a hierarchy of bishops, he reinterpreted their function and authority

He did this by rejecting them being the sole holders of apostolic succession, by focusing on church autonomy and self-governance, by the election of church leaders, by organizing assemblies or synods where the pastors and lay leaders gathered to make decisions on matters of doctrine, discipline and administration

A more significant shift occurred in 1541 when John Calvin published his Ecclesiastical Ordinances

This was a set of regulations and guidelines for the organization and governance of the church in Geneva, Switzerland

It called for educating qualified ministers, the plurality of elders, church discipline, regular church services, simplicity in church architecture and decorations, congregational involvement, catechisms and regular religious education and pastoral care and visitation

This was heavily influenced by Martin Bucer’s vision of the church which gave rise to the system that now governs the Presbyterian church

They honored the Scripture that said...

The Church is the Body of Christ

and...

Jesus is the Head of the Church

Ephesians 1:22–23, “22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

Colossians 1:18, “He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”

There were many other things they reformed in the church but the last one we’re considering was in...

III. Family Life

In this case, theology “came home” with the Reformers and raised...

The Honor and Dignity of Marriage

Since they believed in Sola Scriptura, they believed what the Bible said about marriage

Genesis 2:24, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

Matthew 19:4–6, “4 And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.””

They directly challenged the perceived superiority of celibacy and championed both marriage and family life

This was clearly seen by Martin Luther marrying a former nun named Katherine von Bora in 1525

Family life was also seen in...

The Raising of Godly Children

Genesis 1:28, “God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.””

Deuteronomy 6:6–9, “6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

CONCLUSION

Soli Deo Gloria, “to God be the glory”

The Shorter Catechism asks, “What is the chief end of man?”

The answer is “To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever”

God is glorified when we commit ourselves to Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Soli Christus

You’re presence here today brings Him glory

Because it shows your commitment to these Reformation principles

It also shows your desire to glorify God with your life

In the words of Colossians 3:1–4, “1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

I hope everyone here personally knows the Lord Jesus Christ and has experienced His salvation

If you are still trusting in your own righteousness, I urge you this morning to repent and turn over your life to Christ, trusting in His atoning work for salvation

His sacrificial death was for you

Come to Him now as we pray

Let’s pray