Solus Christus – Christ Alone

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  Romans 5v1-2

We have been exploring the ‘Five Solas’ of the Reformation.  So far, we have seen that God’s Word alone is our final authority, Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura); that we are saved by God’s grace alone, Grace Alone (Sola Gratia); and that this salvation is received through Faith Alone (Sola Fide).

This now raises an important question: if we cannot pay for our own sins, who can, and in what way?

As Luther continued reading Paul’s letter to the Romans, his understanding began to change.  One passage that proved especially important was Romans 3v21-26.

Righteousness Through Faith
“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.  This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood —to be received by faith.  He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.“

Luther came to see that the righteousness God requires is something we cannot achieve ourselves.  Someone else had to pay our debt—someone perfect, sinless, and willing to die in the place of sinners.  In His grace, God provided that person.  Whereas the Medieval church argued that salvation was through God and man, the Reformers declared that the Biblical truth was that salvation came through the One who is God and man, Jesus Christ.  As Luther explained:

Because we are all born in sin and stand as God’s enemies, we deserve nothing but His wrath and judgment.  Everything we are and do is condemned, and we have no way to escape our condition.  Therefore, another man had to take our place—Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man—who satisfied the debt of sin through His suffering and death.

Without the person and work of Jesus Christ, including His death on the cross, we have no way to be made right with God and no means of satisfying His justice, which requires death and separation from Him.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.  John 14v6

First published 2024, revised.