The Five Solas of the Reformation

The Five Solas of the Reformation

with Scripture proofs

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Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)

This means that we are saved from our sins and damnation by the unmerited grace of God alone without any of our works. Grace is the completely unmerited, undeserved favor of God that he bestows upon us. The grace of God is completely motivated out of his own character and is his kind intention and merciful action upon various individuals. Thus, we are saved from his righteous judgment by his unmerited and under earned favor, and there is nothing that we can or have done that can move God to be gracious to us.

John 5:25
John 6:37
John 10:3-5
Acts 11:18
Acts 15:11
Romans 3:20-25
Romans 4:4,5
Romans 5:20-21
Romans 6:14
Romans 9:14-16

Romans 11:5-6
1 Corinthians 15:10
Galatians 2:21
Ephesians 1:7
Ephesians 2:4-10
Ephesians 4:7
2 Thessalonians 2:16
Titus 2:11
Titus 3:4-7

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Sola Fide (Faith Alone)

This means that we are saved from our sins by faith alone in Christ Alone and not by faith and anything we do whether it be baptism, church membership, good works, sincerity, or anything. God is the proper object of faith. When we have faith in the work of Christ and his sacrifice on the cross, we are justified (Romans 5:1).

Genesis 15:6
Romans 3:20–30
Romans 4:1-8,11,16 (1-20)
Romans 5:1,9
Romans 9:33
Romans 10:4,9-10
Galatians 2:16
Galatians 3:5-14,22-24,26

Ephesians 1:13
Ephesians 2:8-9
Philippians 3:9
1 Timothy 1:16
Titus 3:7
Hebrews 11:7
James 2:23

James 2:24 objection: read James 1:21-2:26. James is comparing false Christians (professed faith w/o evidential works) with true Christians (professed faith evidenced by works – cf. Acts 26:20).

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Solus Christus (In Christ Alone)

This position means that Christ Jesus is the only means of salvation (John 14:6), the only mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), and that Jesus is the only human revelation of God. In other words, God has revealed himself in the person of Jesus, and no other person who's ever lived is God in flesh as Jesus is, (John 1:1, 14).

Matthew 1:21
Matthew 20:28
John 8: 12
John 10:1-9
John 12:46
John 14:6
John 20:31
Acts 4:12
Acts 16:21
Acts 26:18
Romans 5:8-11,17-19
Romans 8:34

Romans 10:9-17
1 Corinthians 15:3-4

1 Corinthians 6:11
Galatians 3:13
Colossians 1:13-23
1 Timothy 2:5-6
Hebrews 2:16-17
Hebrews 4:15
Hebrews 7:25-26
1 John 2:1-2

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Sola Scriptura (according to Scripture Alone)

This is not “Solo Scriptura” (which means Scripture ONLY, discounting all councils, creeds and traditions); but rather, Sola Scriptura means that the Scriptures alone are the final and the highest authority. Everything that the Scriptures address are to be used as the final word on particular topic. All things that we learn from other sources must be compared to Scripture, and if they do not match Scripture or if they contradict Scripture, then we are not to affirm them. The Bible says not to exceed what is written. To say or assume that any saying or writing outside of the 66 books of inspired Scripture are the words of God, is to elevate the author of those words to the equivalent of God, which is, of course, blasphemy. Additionally, we do not say the Bible contains the words of God, but rather that the Bible IS the word of God.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9, 17-18
Deuteronomy 17:19-20
Joshua 1:8-9
Joshua 8:32-35
2 Samuel 22:31
Psalm 1:2
Psalm 12:6
Psalm 19:7-11
Psalm 93:5
Psalm 119
Proverbs 6:23
Proverbs 30:5-6
Proverbs 22:29
Matthew 4:4 cf Deut 8:3
Matthew 5:17-19
Mark 13:31
Luke 11:48
Luke 16:17
John 2:22
John 5:24
John 10:35
John 17:17

Acts 17:10-11
Acts 20:20,27,32
Romans 10:17
Romans 15:4
1 Corinthians 2:13-16
1 Corinthians 4:6
2 Cor 1:13
Colossians 2:3,4,7
Colossians 3:16
Colossians 4:16
1 Thessalonians 2:11-13
2 Timothy 2:15
2 Timothy 3:15-17
1 Peter 1:23-25
1 Peter 2:2
2 Peter 1:3, 20-21
2 Peter 3:15-16
1 John 1:4
1 John 2:20.21.27
Revelation 1:2
Revelation 22:18

Some thirty-eight hundred times the Bible declares, “God said,” or “Thus says the Lord” (e.g. Ex. 14:1; 20:1; Lev. 4:1; Num. 4:1; Deut. 4:2; 32:48; Isa. 1:10, 24; Jer. 1:11; Ezek. 1:3; etc.). Paul also recognized that the things he was writing were the Lord’s commandments (1 Cor. 14:37), and they were acknowledged as such by the believers (1 Thess. 2:13). Peter proclaimed the certainty of the Scriptures and the necessity of heeding the unalterable and certain Word of God (2 Pet. 1:16-21). John too recognized that his teaching was from God; to reject his teaching was to reject God (1 John 4:6).

1Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. [Luke 1:1-4]

The Temptation of Jesus by Satan [Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; Mark 1:13] Each time Satan tempted Him, Jesus responded by referring to Scripture rather than tradition.

Matthew 5:21-48; John 10:34-36 [Jesus referred to Scripture rather than tradition.]

Matthew 15:2-9 [Jesus taught Scripture over tradition]

Luke 11:28, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it” Not the word of God + tradition!

Acts 15:13-19 [The very first Church Council, the Council of Jerusalem, relied on Scripture rather than tradition]

Acts 17:2-3,11-12 [When engaging apologetics, Paul relied on Scripture rather than tradition]

Acts 17:11-12 [the Berean Jews turned to the Scriptures daily, not tradition, but the Scriptures only, examining them, to determine what the truth was.]

2 Peter 3:15-16 [Peter considered Paul's writings to be Scripture]

1 Timothy 5:18 [Paul equated Luke's writings with Scripture]

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Soli Deo Glory (to the Glory of God Alone)

This means that God alone is the one who is to receive all glory. He alone is the author and finisher of our salvation, and He works all good things through our lives. He has revealed himself in the person of Jesus, and in great humility and love died on the cross, bearing our sin (1 Peter 2:24), so that we might enjoy his presence forever. We are to live for him and glorify him (Isaiah 43:7); for this is the clear teaching of Scripture: that whatever we do, we do all for the glory of God (1 Cor.10:31; Col.3:17).

1 Chronicles 16:28-29
Numbers 20:12
Psalm 19:1
Psalm 29:1-2
Psalm 50:15,23
Psalm 86:12
Psalm 115:1
Psalm 148:1-14
Psalm 150:6
Isaiah 42:8
Isaiah 43:7
Habakkuk 2:14
Matthew 5:14-16
Luke 2:20
John 11:4
John 12:28
John 14:13
John 15:8
John 17:4
John 21:18-19

Romans 4:20
Romans 11:33-36
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
1 Corinthians 10:31
2 Corinthians 9:13
Ephesians 3:20-21
Colossians 3:17
Philippians 1:9-11
1 Peter 2:12
1 Peter 2:24

1 Peter 4:10-11,16
Jude 1:25
Revelation 1:6
Revelation 4:11
Revelation 5:12-13
Revelation 7:12
Revelation 11:13
Revelation 14:7
Revelation 15:4

God is the God of Glory! “And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran” (Acts 7:2)

Jesus is the Lord of Glory! “which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:8)