The Five Solas: Truths That Shape Our Faith

Our Statement of Faith is available to read on both our website and in our church, yet if we want to understand the heart of what shapes our faith, there is no better place to begin than with the Five Solas of the Reformation.  Stephen J. Wellum, Professor of Christian Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, puts it like this:

“Beyond question, the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century changed Christianity forever.  The Reformation was not perfect, but it was a mighty reviving movement of the Spirit of God which purified the Church and called people back to the fundamentals of the Gospel.”

The First Rumblings
On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther—without fully realising it—set in motion what would later become known as the Reformation.  When he nailed his ninety-five theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, he was inviting academic discussion with the university faculty.  The theses were written in Latin, the language of scholarship at the time.  Although the document was not seen as especially controversial at first, it did challenge the church’s use of wealth.  As a result, students translated it into German, and as interest grew, it began to spread more widely and sparked further debate.

Luther’s ideas soon spread across Europe, helped by the newly invented printing press and by students returning home from Wittenberg.  Many people were already troubled by corruption in the Roman Catholic Church and were longing for change.  Among those influenced were Huldrych (Ulrich) Zwingli in Switzerland and William Tyndale in England.  In this way, the Reformation began to take shape.

It was not until the twentieth century, however, that themes clearly seen in the Reformers’ writings were gathered together and described as the Five Solas.  In this series of articles, we will explore what are often called the Five Solas of the Reformation.

Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone
Sola Gratia – Grace alone
Sola Fide – Faith alone
Solus Christus – Christ alone
Soli Dio Gloria – Glory to God alone

The Five Solas matter just as much today because they summarise the biblical gospel on which our faith rests.  Their importance is hard to overstate.  First, they help us recognise the true gospel and encourage us not to compromise the truth of saving faith.  Second, in a world that often tells us we must prove ourselves, the good news that we are saved by God’s grace alone brings real peace.  Third, they remind us that our salvation is secure.  God does not love us only when we obey him perfectly.  Rather, we seek to obey because we love him.  We are not perfect, but thanks be to God, when He looks at us He sees not our failure, but the perfect righteousness of Christ, our Saviour.

“Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long”. (Psalms 119v97)

“In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands.  And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith”.  (1 John 5v3-4)

These foundational truths—the Five Solas—beautifully capture the true gospel and fill us with hope, comfort, and joy.

First published 2024, revised.