The Five Solae of the Reformation

"Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it" George Santayana, The Life of Reason

Every history teacher uses this quote I am sure since it demonstrates the importance of learning from history. If you do not learn what has happened in the past, you might make those mistakes.

It is like the walkway that you take for the first time. You may trip on the sidewalk where one slap is a bit higher than the others the first couple of times.

But after taking the path a few years, you should not be tripping on that anymore.

Likewise in Christian history, if we do not learn from mistakes or good that our brothers and sisters we are doomed to repeat them.

We are Baptists, and Baptists are horribly ignorant of what it means to be a Baptist.

I have heard many times, “We are Baptists, we don’t do that.” Well, "Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it.”

One of the lessons from history that Baptists are not learning from are the doctrines of the Reformation.

These doctrines, teachings, are not Reformation doctrines but biblical doctrines and therefore are Baptists. These are our five solae. We need to keep these close to heart, not just to avoid the dangers of the Roman Catholic Church, but also the dangers of every worldview that seeks to undermine God and His Christ.

Just to provide a very brief introduction, Martin Luther was an Augustinian, German monk who labored in the Word and eventually experienced the grace of God in salvation.

As God worked in Luther’s heart, enlightened his mind, and opened his eyes, Luther became aware of the shortcomings of the Roman Catholic Church.

In an effort to help the Roman Catholic Church, Luther offered 95 Theses that he wanted to discuss by nailing them on the doors of Wittenburg Castle. This was a normal way of gathering for debate, but through a series of events this began what we call the Reformation.

So what can we learn? What lessons from the past can we employ today? I think they are the five solae of the Reformation.

I. SOLA SCRIPTURA- 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Sola Scriptura means Scripture alone or only Scripture

What did Luther and the subsequent Reformers mean by this?

Its important to remember the context of the Reformation. In the West (that is, Western Europe), the Roman Catholic Church was the dominant church. Although not always the case, generally speaking they enjoyed the power and protection of the State (government). Unsurprisingly, they also enjoyed numerical superiority.

One of the developments throughout Church History in the Roman Catholic Church is the authority of the Pope.

If you want to nerd out later we can, but as history progressed Popes would begin making astounding claims, like the pope is the “Vicar of Christ” (Gelasius I), or that the Pope was the head of all churches (Gregory I).

As the doctrine developed, the Roman Church, and the Pope, had authority to determine doctrines and heresies.

As Luther, and the other Reformers started reading Scripture, they realized that God has given us a source of authority, His Word.

God’s Word teaches that God has given us His Word as our authority for faith and practice. We could spend hours looking at various passages of Scripture, but 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Point of application-

Always verify everything in your life in accordance with God’s Words, not your own thoughts, what you conceive of as tradition, or baptist, or any other such thing. TRADITION

God’s Word is the source of truth!

II. SOLA GRATIA- Eph. 2:8-9

Sola Gratia means Grace alone

Contrary to the works based system of salvation of the Roman Church, the Reformers recovered the teachings of Scripture that we are saved by grace alone.

Grace is a word that we use often in the church but too often cannot adequately and biblically define it. Grace is, simply put, unmerited favor. That is, you do not deserve the thing you are about to receive.

When you work for a company, you put in hours and then in exchange for those hours you receive a salary. That is work, but grace is, you do nothing to deserve the wage, and yet you receive pay.

As with sola Scriptura, sola gratia could be supported with so many verses of Scripture. But Ephesians 2:8-9 serve as a wonderful representation of this teaching.

Various “Christian” teachings hold the necessity of works for salvation. They may use words like “instruments” of salvation. For example, the Roman Catholic Church believes in sal. But at the same time, they hold to the necessity of baptism (if it can be observed, exceptions of death, or not knowing God but doing what He wants), CCC 1257-1260.

We are saved, not because of what we do, but because of what God did, praise be to God!

Point of Application-

Do not think that you are saved by anything, church attendance, giving, good works, moral life, etc.

III. SOLA FIDE- Eph. 2:8-9

Sola Fide means faith alone

The third point is closely connected to the previous, but it shifts the focus to us. We need faith to be saved, to believe in the saving work of Jesus Christ. But the problem is we cannot have that faith. Just as salvation is by grace (unmerited favor), so too the faith that we need and cannot generate is supplied by God.

By faith alone, it is not by works. Our salvation is by grace, unmerited, and it is by faith, which is given to us by God.

Point of Application-

We know Scripture teaches that we are saved by grace by that salvation is never alone. But that does not mean those good works that, by God, accompany our salvation. No, we are saved by faith, given to us by God. Live out your salvation with a peace-filled dependency on God.

IV. SOLUS CHRISTUS- Eph. 5:22-32

Solus Christus means Christ alone

Only Christ (not the Pope, not the Roman Catholic Church, nor Mary, or any prophet)

The Reformation was, as we have already mentioned, fighting against the intrusion of the RCC into matters of salvation.

Statements have been made such as, “Outside the Church there is no salvation.” (Cyprian of Carthage) Of course, such a statement can and has been used to teach a very different view than the individual who said it.

Or Mary, of whom one Catholic writer said, “The whole earth is full of her glory, especially among Christians, by whom she is taken as the protectress of many kingdoms, provinces, dioceses, and cities.” St. Louis de Montfort, who also says “devotion to our Blessed Lady is necessary to salvation.”

It is not in the Pope, either. Our faith is built on Christ and Christ alone. This does not delegitimize the importance of pastors in the Church, for God’s Word clearly teaches that.

Christ is the Head of the Church, as Paul teaches in Eph. 5:22-32.

Point of Application-

Jesus is the Head of the Church, we follow His commands, exhortations, and warnings. We submit to Christ and Christ alone, Who is the procurer of our salvation.

V. SOLI DEO GLORIA- Rom. 11:36

Soli Deo Gloria means God’s glory alone

The Reformers taught what the Scriptures teach, that is, all of life is for the glory of God. Paul tells us that in Romans 11:36 “36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

The Reformers, among many other things, aimed their works and preaching and ministry against Rome primarily for issues of authority (i.e., the importance of the Roman Church, the Pope, and even Mary to a degree).

They also aimed their works against the doctrines of salvation taught and held to by the RCC.

God saves us, not for our glory, but for His.

We are not Presbyterians, we are Baptists. But the Presbyterians, in their WSC, give us this question and answer,

WSC Q 1“What is the chief end of man?”

“The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”

Point of Application-

We exist for God’s glory, not ours. It should be the motivation for everything in our lives, personally, and in our churches.

Not for us, our enjoyments, but for God’s glory.

Why do you come to church? Why do you pray, read your Bibles, sing, give your time and money? Why do you parent your children, love your spouse, support your family?

Why do you work? Why do you enjoy a sunrise?

Why we do things reveals much about our hearts and whether we are living soli Deo gloria.