Tag: five solas

Glory to God Alone

“And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)—when you believed in Christ—you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13–14).

Glory and honor and praise is God’s due. I don’t know of any Christian who thinks otherwise. And yet, neglecting to give glory and honor and praise to God is the core human insubordination. Even Christians, with renewed hearts, often have some difficulty giving glory to God alone.

Scripture tells us that the human condition is dire, precisely because we naturally exchange God’s glory for a lesser object of praise among created things (Rom. 1:22-23). The most painful reality is, humans always glorify and praise something or someone. Often, however, we give our praise to undeserving created things; and this leaves us feeling unsatisfied and disappointed.

God alone is supremely glorious, and we are most full of delight and joy when we are glorifying Him. Because God is glorious beyond measure, He can satisfy our eager attention. Considering more of God’s works, knowing more of God’s attributes, and more intensely pondering God’s nature will always stir greater amazement and affection.

All glory to God alone. SDG

Christ Alone

“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).

Christ alone is the savior of sinners. This exclusive claim is repugnant to our culture of trivial tolerance, and it has always been obnoxious to sinful humans everywhere. And yet, this intolerant declaration is actually quite expansive. Just consider how wide the invitation really is.

While the Gospel of Christ does indeed prohibit the notion of any other savior besides Jesus, this exclusive Gospel also opens the way for any guilty sinner to approach God with confidence and joy. Regardless of pedigree, intellect, geography, wealth, or a host of other demographic descriptors, anyone may find gracious compassion and newness of life in the one-and-only Savior.

God has provided an incomparable gift in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The priceless Redeemer has satisfied God’s wrath for sinners like us; the perfect Justifier has earned righteousness on our behalf; the tireless Intercessor pleads our case even now; and the conquering King of glory welcomes us into His good kingdom forevermore.

Oh, yes… Christ alone is the sufficient savior of sinners!

Grace Alone

“by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

 

Anyone who hears the Gospel of Jesus Christ (I mean really hears the message) will likely wonder why God would do such a thing. Why would a holy and omnipotent God offer any reprieve to His rebellious created things? Why would any disobedience go unpunished? More incredibly, why would the King of glory make His lovingly faithful Son the object of His wrath on behalf of contemptible mutineers?

The Bible gives us no higher answer than to tell us that God has acted out of sheer grace, unparalleled grace, amazing grace. But, what is grace? Grace is neither a substance, nor thing; it is not sprinkled or absorbed. Grace is how we speak of God’s benevolent acts towards utterly undeserving sinners. Grace is the word we use to say that whatever purposes God has in saving a sinner, the motive does not originate in the sinful beneficiary.

God’s gift of salvation, from start to finish, is the result of God’s gracious resolve to love unlovable sinners. That’s it! That’s why sinners can rest assured that God’s love for them will remain faithful… because they had nothing to do with rousing God’s loving affection from the start.

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