Daily Archives: August 16, 2005

Sola Scriptura
Solus Christus
Sola Gratia
Sola Fide
Soli Deo Gloria

God alone be Glorified.

I saved this one for last, because the other four are truly summed up here.

Sola Scriptura: in Scripture alone is our only ultimate and infallible source of authority. The proper roles of tradition or the officers of the church are equal - in submission to Scripture. Through Scripture, God alone is glorified.

Solus Christus: the second person of the Trinity, it is to Christ that the prophets and Scripture point. There is no other mediator, no other redeemer, no other sacrifice. In Christ's finished work on the cross, God alone is glorified.

Sola Gratia: it is only by God's grace that we stand before Him blamless, Christ's righteousness imputed to us. Through His grace, God alone is glorified.

Sola Fide: it is through faith that God's grace has its effect. If it were not faith, it would not be grace. Even this faith is a gift of God. By grace, through faith, only God is glorified.

Whenever we cease to put God first, to give God alone the glory, it falls apart. When we glorify the church, we find abusive clergy. When we glorify a man, we find a cult. When we glorify the culture, we find all kinds of bad things. When we glorify the family, we find good things, but in the wrong order. When we glorify freedom, we find unsubmission.

When we glorify God alone, everything else falls into place more easily.

To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.