What are the Five Solas?

Five hundred years ago, a number of men and women were empowered by God to be able to stand for the truths of Scripture against the heretical teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, which was distorting the true Gospel by adding our effort to God’s grace and Christ’s work.

Since the time of the Reformation, protestant Christians have summarized their rejection and response to this heresy in the five “solas” which is the Latin word for “alone”.

The Five Solas are as follows:

Sola Fide

Sola Gratia

Solus Christus

Soli Deo Gloria

Sola Scriptura

Each of these help summarize and explain the true Gospel, as found in the Scriptures. Salvation is:

By Faith Alone, and not works. Faith is the fruit of regeneration through the work of the Holy Spirit which leads to salvation. Romans 3:28 tells us that we are “justified by faith apart from works of the law.” Our good works cannot bring us favor before God. It is only faith in the perfect work of Christ by which we are justified.

Through Grace Alone. It is pure grace that is the foundation of our salvation, for we have done nothing to either seek or earn our salvation in and of ourselves. God does not choose us based on any good in us, but purely by His grace alone. Ephesians 2:5, 9 says that “We were dead in our trespasses, but God made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved…This is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

On the basis of Christ Alone. Christ has offered Himself as the full and complete sacrifice for our sins, taking on flesh and coming as a human – though not giving up His Godhood – He was born to a virgin, lived a perfect life, and bore the punishment for our sins on the Cross, facing the wrath of God on our behalf. He died, rose again the third day conquering death, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

It is only through relinquishing our own futile attempts to gain salvation, and by putting our trust fully in Him, that we may be saved. Colossians 2:13-14 says, “You, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

For the Glory of God Alone. All of creation, redemption, salvation and future glorification happens for one reason: for the glory of God alone. We are utterly incapable of saving ourselves, of adding to the work of Christ, of covering our own sins, or standing before God. We were dead in our sins, but God glorified Himself through His infinite wisdom and grace, as He provided a way for our salvation, “(predestining) us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ…to the praise of the glory of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:5-6).

The way of salvation is revealed through Scripture Alone which is the only perfect and ultimate authority. Scripture declares to us the true and living God, His will for us, and Christ’s redemptive Work on our behalf. It determines truth, morality, and is the perfect, infallible, inerrant Word of God. Galatians 1:9 says, “If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.”

While the Five Solas were summarized by the Reformers during the time of the Reformation, their truths are from the words of eternal Scripture. Our salvation is by Faith Alone, through Grace Alone, by Christ Alone, for the Glory of God Alone, and we receive this Gospel of our hope through Scripture Alone.

Soli Deo Gloria,