The Five Solas
The Latin word, sola, means “alone.” These five mottos are called solas because they each describe a theological belief that functions alone, independent from others. While the five solas never appeared together as a single historic document, they have been brought together to summarize what Protestant belief is. Professor Scott Clark has attempted to historically chronicle each of the solas in “Whence the Reformation Solas?”
Below is a short description of the five solas. A slightly more extensive description has been published elsewhere by Pastor Gregg Strawbridge in “The Five Solas of the Reformation: A Brief Summary” and also Professor Michael Horton in “The Crisis of Evangelical Christianity, Reformation Essentials.”
1. Sola Gratia (Grace alone)
Protestants believe that God is not compelled or moved to save His children by anything other than His own grace. What this means most poignantly is that, even though our human nature is convinced that we can do something to earn God’s acceptance, God says that we are hopeless. The condemnation of Adam, the representative of all human nature, is our own condemnation. There is nothing that we can do to save ourselves. However, in His glorious grace, God loves His children and shows them His great mercy by sending Jesus Christ, His only Son (Ephesians 1.3-8).
2. Sola Fide (Faith alone)
The central teaching (technically, the “Material Principle”) of Protestant belief is that we do not receive salvation because of any moral or spiritual advancement. Even though we might feel like we have something to boast about, salvation comes about because God declares a person righteous before that person begins to become righteous. Instead, a Protestant is someone who receives and rests upon the righteousness of Another, the righteousness of Jesus Christ, through faith alone (see Galatians 3.6-11).
3. Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone)
The source (technically, the “Formal Principle”) of Protestant belief is that the Holy Bible is the only authoritative rule and guide for Christian belief and life (see Psalm 119:18 and 138:2, and 2 Timothy 3.14-17). Protestantism is not spirituality, but a revealed religion, meaning, a religion that is founded upon the written Word delivered by God. Protestant belief is not founded upon human organizations or human tradition or human teaching or human experience or human ideology or human marketing.
4. Solo Christo (Christ alone)
Protestant belief says that the distance between God and humanity is infinitely vast and that a relationship of peace between God and humanity is impossible unless there is a mediator. Because humanity is under condemnation due to Adam’s sin, there is no member of humanity that is righteous enough serve as this mediator. Another Mediator is necessary. This Mediator is Jesus Christ, God’s own Son who took on Himself our human nature and ransomed His life in order that God’s children would have a relationship of peace with God (see 1 Timothy 2.5-6 and Colossians 1.13-18). There is no Mediator besides this One.
5. Soli Deo Gloria (the glory of God alone)
Protestant belief says that God’s purpose for creation was for His own glory and that, humanity in particular, was created to serve and worship and glorify Him alone. God’s glory is the basis for salvation and also the goal and objective for Protestant life. For the Protestant, everything about his or her life (work and play and thoughts and words) is to serve this purpose of glorifying the One true and majestic God (see Romans 11.36, 1 Corinthians 10.31, Ephesians 3.21, 1 Peter 4.11, 2 Peter 3.1, Revelation 1.6 and 7.12).
