June 14, 2016
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/10206594527677379
The popular sola
shibboleths.
I understand the 5
solas like this:
Sola Scriptura, by
Scripture alone:
- Scriptures are the
only infallible source of divine revelation on creation, providence and
redemption.
Solus Christus,
through Christ alone:
- Christ and His
redemptive work is the sole BASIS and alone GROUND of eternal salvation.
Sola Gratia, by
grace alone:
- Salvation secured
by Jesus Christ alone for His people is bestowed upon each one of them by God's
free and sovereign grace alone while they were still in their native state of sin and
death, being wholly incapable of meeting any condition! (The manner salvation
is bestowed - eternal salvation is bestowed at the effectual calling out of the native state of condemnation (through justification), death (through regeneration), and alienation (through adoption into the divine family)
Sola Fide, by faith
alone:
- Believing in
Christ is the only means God has appointed for His children (effectually called elect)
to experience the salvation already freely bestowed upon them by God's
sovereign grace.
- Faith is a saving
grace worked in the child of God. Faith manifests the eternal salvation already
bestowed by God's free and sovereign grace.
- "The reason
why any are justified IS NOT because they have faith, but the reason why they
have faith IS because they are justified."
Soli Deo Gloria,
glory to God alone:
- God purposed
salvation; Jesus Christ secured salvation, the Holy Spirit applies the
salvation to each elect while still in their native state of condemnation and death... making
them perfectly fit for eternal glory... thus all glory to the Triune God alone. Anything that man can do is the effect of the eternal salvation ALREADY freely bestowed.
"Him that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
That's my
understanding. What's yours?