Being Alone Isn't Lonely (or) Three To Five, Either Way Still True

Sola Fide + Sola Gratia + Sola Scriptura + Solus Christus + Soli Deo Gloria

(by faith alone - by grace alone - by Scripture alone - Christ alone - glory to God alone)

The Five Solae of the Reformation.

Fitting topic, given what is being remembered tomorrow.

Technically retroactively made the catchphrases of the Reformation, since none of the Reformers wrote these down explicitly.  They did write on these, either in part or in all.  But what are they?

They are Latin phrases that sum up positions or thoughts.  A sort of "theological shorthand" as it were.  (Or is.)  You could call them catchphrases or principles, but these statements represent foundational beliefs within Lutheranism.  (Technically they are used by the Reformed side as well, though not all of them.)

I'll give a brief take on the Five Solae, including Scriptural verses that support them.  Before I get there, I'll first give the formal and material principles of Lutheranism.  The formal principle(s) are the authoritative sources used to back theology, while the material principle is the central doctrine.

For the Lutheran, the formal principle is Scripture alone as the foundation of all theology.  While we do use documents and confessions as sources of study, if they are contradicting the Bible they will be rejected.  This is the "hill we die on."  Reason is a most useful tool, and tradition is to be kept, and the writings of the Church fathers and other learned scholars are revered, but at the end of the day, if the Bible says "no" while all others say "yes," the answer is "no."  And we will refrain from rewording the Bible so it may fit our needs or ideas.  If it is in Scripture, we shall follow.  If Scripture forbids, we abstain.  If Scripture is silent, we shall search the Word for discernment.  (Unfortunately, there are some who claim the name "Lutheran" who do not hold to this principle.  Not to name names, but their initials are ELCA.)

The material principle of the Lutheran church is justification by God's grace through faith in Christ alone.  The only, only, way to obtain salvation is through belief in Christ's death on the Cross and Resurrection, with no action of our own adding any merit.

Sola Fide "by Faith alone"

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  John 3:14-18

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.  For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.  Romans 3:27-28

The only way that we, poor miserable sinners, are to ever reach the heavenly throne room of God is not through our works or merits.  As St. Paul makes clear in his letter to the church in Rome, the law of works, both the law written in the Books of Moses and the moral law written upon our hearts, which are summed up by the Commandments, only condemns.  We cannot "earn" a place in heaven.  It would be like a corpse trying to perform CPR on itself.  It is impossible.  Only our faith in Chris, and in His great and glorious Work, saves us.  The only work that saves us is Christ's work upon the Cross: dying in our place.

Sola Gratia "by Grace alone"

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.  Romans 3:20-25

Our salvation is not by our works.  You cannot earn a free gift (contrary to what banks imply when they want you to open an account).  Think of it like a newborn you bring a present to.  They are sleeping in their crib and you hold their present above them saying "this is yours, just take it," but you never get closer.  How is the child to receive their gift?  Unless you place it in their hands, they never will.  That is how grace works.  It is given to us against our will by God, first in baptism (infant or otherwise), then routinely in communion and absolution.

Sola Scriptura "by Scripture alone"

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  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.  2 Timothy 3:14-17

As I stated above when discussing the material principal of Luther and the Reformers who were not radical, the first, last, and only rule by which we are to judge all doctrines is the Word of God.  That's why St. Paul used the "sword" as a metaphor for Scripture, and why I'm working on some knightly themed apologetics.  And no part of Scripture is less true, though there are, in a way, levels of authoritativeness and relevance.  Context is much of that, as is holding all Scripture as true, as opposed to pitting verse against verse.  Some books are of less "officialness" (for want of better term), but that does not mean we do not use them.  Rather it simply means we use them as supports for the clear passages.  An example is the book of Revelation.  Sure, it speaks of the end times (maybe), but if I wish to found my understanding of the Last Day on a passage of Scripture, I will go to Mark 13:32, which are Christ's own words.  "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."  This means I do not have, nor should I be, seeking out signs and omens, or trying to predict how close it is.  Instead I must get to work, for the harvest is near.

Now, when it comes to using extra-biblical resources, like the Augsburg Confession, I will always view it through the "lens" of Scripture.  If I find something that is contrary to Scripture in any other resource, I shall reject it.  Now, as a future pastor, it is part of the ordination vows to adhere to the Confessions as a right and faithful summary of what Scripture teaches, and I believe they are such as summary.

Solus Christus "by Christ alone"

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  John 14:6

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead- by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."  Acts 4:8-12 

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,  1 Timothy 2:5

 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.  1 John 2:1-2

I really shouldn't have to write anything here.  Christ's words alone should be sufficient.  What part of "no one" do people not understand.  That's why some more snarky Lutherans will make fun of Roman Catholics for worshipping Mary and the saints.  (It doesn't help that the RCC used to teach the "treasury of merit" bologna.  Then again, they haven't retracted the teaching yet, so...)  If you do not believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven, then you are not a Christian.  Adding anything to Christ's death on the cross as necessary for salvation puts you in the same boat.  No work, no philosophy, no law, nothing.  Jesus + anything = no heaven.

Soli Deo Gloria "Glory to God alone"

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"  Luke 2:13-14

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.  Galatians 1:3-5

This one is really a "take that" to the cult of saints the RCC pushes, as well as papal authority and infallibility as the nebulous (and unbiblical) "vicar of Christ."  Did you know the Lutheran church officially teaches the pope and his office is the antichrist?  Well, now you do.  Probably should warn my RCC deacon father-in-law before ordination...  The point is praise, prayers, and supplications are to be directed at the Triune God alone.  No prayers to St. Anne when lightning nearly fries your britches.  No appealing to St. Nicholas for paper-wrapped boxes beneath a pilfered pine.  No being bent out of shape whether or not some trinket is blessed by the pope, even if the shop owner claims "all blessed by pope."

So, the first three (Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura) are the core of the Christian (and especially Lutheran) faith.  Sola Scriptura is our formal principle, while Solae Fide and Gratia are together the material principle.  This is what Luther found.  This is all he taught.  This is why we celebrate and remember the posting of almost a hundred talking points on a door half a millennia ago.

It always was, and still is, about Jesus.