Please open your Bibles to Romans 5:1-11 which we will read in a few minutes.
Over the past few of weeks we have been taking a look at the five “Solas” that were reestablished after the Protestant Reformation came along in 1517.
Sometimes when you read some of the major prophet Scriptures such as found in the book of Daniel and in the Revelation regarding the last days you may wonder, “What is that really all about?” or “How will that happen?”.
In such passages it is difficult to understand some of the symbolism and it almost seems to be shrouded in mystery.
But these “Solas” are crystal clear, they foundational principles that were never shrouded in mystery but are clearly and fully established in the New Testament.
These are the five foundational “Sola” doctrines:
Sola Scriptura, by Scripture alone (brief remarks regarding …)
Solus Christus, through Christ alone (brief remarks regarding …)
Sola Gratia, by Grace alone (brief remarks regarding …)
Sola Fide, by Faith alone (explain that faith and believe are used interchangeably)
(faith – noun / believe – verb)
Soli Deo Gloria, glory to God alone
Today we’ll be looking at the fourth of these Solas, Sola Fide; salvation by Faith alone and as we look at that list a question may come to your mind; how can salvation be by grace alone AND by faith alone.
(Go back to the screen with the Romans 5:1-11 reference on it.)
That is a great question.
Well, this is REALLY exciting! All the while the Holy Spirit has been pursuing us through the Scriptures, through the saving work of Jesus the Son of God on our behalf and through the grace of God.
God has been pursuing us in the hope of us turning to Him and finding salvation.
Faith is just that. Faith is where we respond to the grace of God and become a new creation, a son or daughter of the Living God.
When we respond in faith but believing and trusting in Jesus for salvation our eternal destination is changed from eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord to eternal life in the presence of Jesus the Redeemer!
Let’s take a look at some Scripture which talks about that very fact! Romans 5:1-11
These verses contain the focal point of this section of Scripture:
Romans 5:1-2a NIV
“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 5:1-2a AMP
“Therefore, since we have been justified [that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God] by faith,
“[Let us grasp the fact that] we have peace with God [and the joy of reconciliation with Him] through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).
“Through Him we also have access by faith into this [remarkable state of] grace in which we [firmly and safely and securely] stand.”
So, we see this beautiful marriage; the Lord God Almighty pursuing us by Grace and we responding by Faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.
That seems pretty clear doesn’t it?
So, what was the problem then and what is it now?
The problem then was not Judaism or the Jewish Faith itself but what it had become.
Listen to the Apostle Paul’s description of how he was when he was a Pharisee.
Galatians 3
“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit (faith), are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh (works)?”
So, here’s the struggle.
Many of the Israelites who were hearing the Gospel had been raised observing the meticulous practice of the hundreds of Jewish laws and traditions by their spiritual leaders.
We can hear this in many of their questions; the jailer asks Paul and Silas “What must I do to be saved?”, at Pentecost, “Brothers, what must we do?”, the rich man, “What good deed must I do to inherit eternal life?”
So, you see that even in the Jewish mindset working to obtain salvation was a totally normal way of thinking.
That was in the Jewish community, but, in the pagan culture everything connected to their gods was done to appease the god; pilgrimages, food and drink offerings before idol that could not see, hear or speak, the use of pagan temple prostitutes and even infant sacrifice in some areas of the Roman empire.
So, you see the idea of working for salvation was common.
So, what is the problem with thinking that salvation is by faith AND works?
That would mean that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our salvation was less than perfect and complete. Can you imagine that there could be anything that we could do to help complete the work of Jesus on the cross?
Sometimes we get too wrapped up in trying to explain things logically when all we really need to do is look at Scripture and then believe that Scripture.
John 3:16-18
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
“Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
So, if works are not required for salvation where do they fit in the life of a true believer in Jesus?
Do you know what this is? (photo of a tomato plant)
Is a tomato plant a tomato plant because it produces tomatoes?
Or, does it product tomatoes because it is a tomato plant?
What if a tomato plant does not produce one single tomato?
Is it still a tomato plant? Of course it is; it’s just not a good one!
We have a place out back where we take our plant waste to decompose and for the woodchucks to eat.
Sometimes a plant will come up that we cannot identify. In that case we’ll say let’s see what it produces and then we’ll know what kind of plant it is. If it produces squash we’ll know it’s a squash plant. If it produces pumpkins we’ll know it’s a pumpkin plant.
The type of plant does not change according to the fruit it produces but the fruit is a natural product of that type of plant.
So it is with salvation. We are saved by faith through God’s grace and the works we produce are a result of what we’ve become in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-10 explains it fabulously!
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Any religion including any form of Christianity that relies on our works for salvation can NEVER have any assurance of eternal life. (repeat)
It is possible for a person to live their entire life in a frenzy trying to earn salvation without ever knowing for sure if they’ve achieved it or not. And, sad to say, they will not have found what Jesus so freely gives; eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Show video of “Lord, I believe in You” by Crystal Lewis)
Closing comments and prayer
