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Today is special.  No.  I am not thinking about Halloween.  I know that our society – retailers in particular – is increasingly more passionate about this “holiday”.  And this day presents a struggle for believers.  On one hand we know there will be unseen occultic activity on a night such as this.  On a very different level, it is a community event filled with cute costumes and copious amounts of candy.

But today I am not thinking about Halloween.  Rather, my mind drifts back to what happened in Wittenberg, Germany on this day in 1517.  That day a Roman Catholic monk came to immense conclusions regarding his struggle to reconcile his lack of righteousness.  On October 31,1517 Martin Luther posted ninety-five statements on the door of Castle Church.  Though there were many other factors at work in the Church at that time, this act is recognized as a launch point for the Protestant Reformation.  It was a time of acknowledging and addressing the theological and lifestyle drift occuring in the Church.

Admittedly, Cornerstone is not a reformed church in a technical sense.  Yet we are unquestionably shaped by the courageous contribution of many reformers who called the Church back to a pure Gospel message.  We value the leadership of pioneer reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin who were instrumental in helping the Church regain biblical alignment.  Their reflection, teaching, and writing along with many others is a great gift to the the Body of Christ.

A typical way of summarizing their theological stand is to speak of the five Solas (Latin for “only”).  Each statement highlights an essential understanding of God’s interaction with humanity, through Christ.  As a church family, we may not have the ecclesiastical or liturgical expressions of reformed tradition.  However, we dare not disregard these foundational, Biblical realities.

Sola Scriptura  -   Scripture Alone

Solus Christus  -  Christ Alone

Sola Fide  -  Faith Alone

Sola Gratia  -  Grace Alone

Soli Deo Gloria  -  To God's Glory Alone

My purpose in writing today is not research.  Rather it is to reflect and ask an important question.  If you want to dig deeper into the five Soals, I highly recommend the robust resource provided by The Gospel Coalition:  The Five Solas Course.  What then is the question?

How do these truths shape our lives?

Do we depend more on what we hear in our favorite podcast, or do we trust the Scripture alone?  Do we share the deep conviction of Paul who said, “for me to live is Christ”?  Do we live for Christ alone?  What about our day-to-day walk with God?  Are we lured by the lie that if we just do more or pray more God will love us more?  If so, we are far from the truths of Faith alone and Grace alone.  Lastly, what is the purpose and focus of your life?  Is it for God’s Glory alone?

Well…I guess that is more than one question!  Though Martin Luther did not pen these five specific statements, they offer a significant summary of the core Christian convictions that emerged through the Reformation.  Stephen J. Wellum comments,

Although the Reformation was not a perfect time in history and it resulted in various theological divisions, its solas beautifully recaptured the heart and soul of the gospel. In giving us a proper view of God and correspondingly, a proper view of ourselves, the solas encapsulate what is central to the entire Bible. They remind us that all that we have, in every area of life, is from our creator-covenant triune God. In our creation and redemption, God alone is central because from his plan in eternity-past to its enactment in time, he has initiated it from beginning to end. Although we are the recipients of God’s good and gracious gifts, we receive these gifts by grace alone. The solas protect us against human pride, they remind us that we are gloriously dependent creatures, and that we have been created for a reason, namely to know, love, and obey God as his servant-kings.   Read More