Sermon Tone Analysis

We welcome you to CrossWay and if have just joined us, that is you arrived at 11:00 or a little before, we want to invite you to join at 9:30 the next time you come.

Each Sunday we celebrate the Lord’s Supper or Communion as it’s also known.

We begin with a Call to Worship scripture reading and we may have other readings, we sing a few songs that specifically point to the person and work of Christ and at around 10:00 or so every believer present is invited to share in the bread and cup of communion were we keep the command to remember Jesus’ body that was broken for us and His blood that was shed for us.

After that we have the opportunity to support the ministry of CrossWay monetarily by way of tithes and offerings and finally we have a time of corporate intercessory prayer.

After that, which brings us to around 10:30 or a little after we enjoy a time for fellowship around some “heavy” snacks until 11:00.

If you have any questions about any of that, please feel free ask me or one of the other pastors, Paul and Dennis.

Introduction

Today will be the fourth sermon in a five-part sermon series titled the Five Solas of the Reformation.

Sola is Latin for “alone.”

October 31 of this year marked the 500th year since the Protestant Reformation is said to have begun, when in 1517, Martin Luther, a Catholic monk posted 95 theses or arguments, against the practices of the Catholic church of his day.

What Luther and other reformers like John Calvin, John Knox, and Zwingli protested was the church’s, that is the Catholic church’s, teachings and practices pertaining to the authority of scripture and how people are forgiven of sin and reconciled to God.

The Reformation sought to bring Christianity back in line with biblical teaching by recovering a distorted gospel.

Five teachings that summarize the Reformer’s theological convictions about the essentials of Christianity are known as the Five Solas.

1. Sola Scriptura – Scripture Alone

2. Sola Fide – Faith Alone

3. Sola Gratia – Grace Alone

4. Solus Christus – Christ Alone

5. Soli Deo Gloria – The Glory of God Alone

Communicating the truth that salvation is by grace alone, on the basis of Christ alone, through faith alone, all for the glory of God alone, because God spoke in scripture alone.

As I mentioned earlier today’s sermon is the fourth in our series.

We have heard about Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, and Grace Alone.

Today I have the joy of preaching on Solus Christus, Christ Alone.

Pray!

Open your bibles to 1 Timothy 2:5 and then flip to Acts 4:12 and hold your finger there.

These two passages will guide us today as we explore who the bible says Jesus is and what He has done.

Here’s how the sermon will flow.

First, I will present the biblical basis for Christ Alone by allowing the bible to identify who Christ is (which from here on I will refer to this aspect as the Person of Christ) and what he has done as it relates to the salvation of people (which we will refer to as the work of Christ).

Now, in no way will this be exhaustive but I trust it will be comprehensive.

Next, we will examine how this doctrine was and, I must add, still is perverted today in Catholic doctrine.

While we are observing the error of Catholic doctrine as it pertains to Christ Alone, we will also make note of the various ways we as evangelical Protestant Christians still stumble at times in these heresies ourselves.

Allow me to say at this point that I/we do not condone bashing other people for there personal preferences, beliefs or life-styles.

However, as an ambassador of Christ in this world it is the Christian’s obligation, according to 1 Peter 3:15, to be “…prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,...” Also, Ephesians 4:12 commands me as an under-shepherd of Christ "to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”

In the due course of this sermon along with Catholic doctrinal error I will also mention other world religions.

Some claim to be Christian, but I will point out that it is impossible, based upon what scripture say about the Person and Work of Christ, for these groups to be considered orthodox Christianity.

I have Catholic associates that I respect, Mormons that I consider friends, Jehovah Witnesses that are family and I love them and certainly do not intend harm or disrespect to them or anyone else.

But beloved, if we are going to stand with the reformers, no, the Apostles and the Lord Jesus Himself in the defense of the gospel, and as ambassadors of the kingdom, then we are not only going to have understand and defend these Five Solas.

Our worship must be enriched by them.

Our gospel proclamation guarded by them.

And our love for people deepened by them.

This cannot become an intellectual exercise in apologetics.

Having a firm grasp on Christian doctrine will not cause one to retreat, and disengage the culture in which we live.

No, quite the opposite.

It creates confidence in the only one who can save man’s soul.

The only one who can make all things new.

In guess all I’m saying is, study the bible.

Learn how to care for the weary souls all around you.

We have hope and His name is Jesus.

The Person and Work of Christ

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Solus Christus expresses the biblical teaching that is “...one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, and that therefore “...there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Christ’s identity is absolutely exclusive and his work entirely sufficient.

Why do we need a mediator you may ask?

Genesis 3 describes what we call the Fall of Man whereby Adam and Eve fell, or went from, a state of grace or special favor with God, to a place of radical corruption because they sinned by disobeying God's command.

The judgement for sin is death.

Both physical and spiritual death.

Spiritual death is what the Apostle Paul is referring to in Eph. 2 when he says, “you were dead in your trespasses and sins.”

We along with all humanity stand condemned with Adam because Adam represented all humanity as our federal head, that is Adam represented all of his descendants.

When he fell, we fell “in him.”

Paul teaches this in Romans 5:12.

This being true, Romans 3:9-20 depicts our mortal state because of the Fall.

Turn to Romans 3:9-20

As you call tell this sounds pretty bad.

And we are helpless to do anything about it.

No human being will be justified by works.

How can we escape punishment and be brought back into God’s favor?

To satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from the punishment for sin, by a Redeemer.

Who is the Redeemer?

The only Redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, in whom God became man and bore the penalty for sin himself.

Why must the Redeemer be truly human?

That in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for human sin; and also that he might sympathize with our weaknesses.

Why must the Redeemer be truly God?

That because of his divine nature his obedience and suffering would be perfect and effective; and also that he would be able to bear the righteous anger of God against sin and yet overcome death.

Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die?

Since death is the punishment for sin, Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God.

By his substitutionary atoning death, he alone redeems us from hell and gains for us forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and everlasting life.

Does Christ’s death mean all our sins can be forgiven?

Yes, because Christ’s death on the cross fully paid the penalty for our sin, God graciously imputes Christ’s righteousness to us as if it were our own and will remember our sins no more

Are all people, just as they were lost through Adam, saved through Christ?

No, only those who are elected by God and united to Christ by faith.

Nevertheless God in his mercy demonstrates common grace even to those who are not elect, by restraining the effects of sin and enabling works of culture for human well-being.

What happens after death to those not united to Christ by faith?

At the day of judgment they will receive the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them.

They will be cast out from the favorable presence of God, into hell, to be justly and grievously punished, forever.

How can we be saved?

Only by faith in Jesus Christ and in his substitutionary atoning death on the cross; so even though we are guilty of having disobeyed God and are still inclined to all evil, nevertheless, God, without any merit of our own but only by pure grace, imputes to us the perfect righteousness of Christ when we repent and believe in him.

But before we here from God’s word let’s go back 500 years to the early 1500’s and get a grasp what was going on in the church that ultimately led to the formation of the Protestant Christianity which we believe is orthodox or biblical Christianity.

In order to examine the Catholic church we will need to spend some time considering the places of

What is faith in Jesus Christ?

Faith in Jesus Christ is acknowledging the truth of everything that God has revealed in his Word, trusting in him, and also receiving and resting on him alone for salvation as he is offered to us in the gospel.

Should those who have faith in Christ seek their salvation through their own works, or anywhere else?

No, they should not, as everything necessary to salvation is found in Christ.

To seek salvation through good works is a denial that Christ is the only Redeemer and Savior.

Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through Christ alone, must we still do good works and obey God’s Word?

Yes, because Christ, having redeemed us by his blood, also renews us by his Spirit; so that our lives may show love and gratitude to God; so that we may be assured of our faith by the fruits; and so that by our godly behavior others may be won to Christ.

What do justification and sanctification mean?

Justification means our declared righteousness before God, made possible by Christ’s death and resurrection for us.

Sanctification means our gradual, growing righteousness, made possible by the Spirit’s work in us.

What was the Reformer’s disagreement with Rome as it relates to Christ Alone?

The question that is being asked is, “Is Christ alone sufficient for the forgiveness of sin and the reconciliation of the believer back to God?”