The 5 Solas Of The Reformation — Foundations Of Faith

Introduction:

I believe it essential to return to the heart of the gospel—the truths that ignited the Reformation nearly 500 years ago. The Reformers, guided by the Holy Spirit, called the church back to the Bible, and in doing so, they articulated five foundational principles that we call the Five Solas.

These Solas —Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Christ Alone, and Glory to God Alone—are not merely historical slogans. They are essential truths that preserve the purity of the gospel and the vitality of our faith. Without them, Christianity becomes distorted or diluted.

Let us walk through each one, grounding ourselves in Scripture and considering how these truths shape our lives today. I will also share some of the thoughts and teachings from the late John MacArthur.

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1. Sola Scriptura — Scripture Alone

“The Bible is the sole infallible rule of faith and practice.”

Illustration:

Imagine a pilot flying a plane using outdated maps and advice from passengers instead of the official flight instruments and GPS. Just as a pilot must trust the accurate and authoritative instruments to reach the destination safely, believers must rely on God’s Word alone—the trustworthy and divinely inspired “instrument” that guides us safely through life and faith.

The Reformation declared that Scripture alone holds ultimate authority over all matters of faith and conduct. This was a corrective against the prevailing view that church tradition or human reasoning could stand alongside or above God’s Word.

Scriptural Basis:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

This passage reminds us that every part of Scripture is inspired by God, completely trustworthy, and sufficient to equip us for every aspect of life and godliness.

Application:

How often do we let culture, feelings, or popular opinion shape our beliefs more than Scripture? Sola Scriptura calls us to center our lives on God’s revealed Word. It means when doubts or questions arise, our first and final resort is the Bible—not the voices of man.

Ask yourself: Am I consistently studying the Bible? Do I evaluate all teaching, traditions, and even my own beliefs by Scripture? The Reformation’s call still stands—Scripture alone is our foundation.

MacArthur emphasizes that Scripture is the exclusive, authoritative source of truth. In his book Reckless Faith, he writes: “If a doctrine is truly fundamental, it must have its origin in Scripture, not tradition, papal decrees, or some other source of authority.” — Reckless Faith

Additional scripture readings:

1. Psalm 19:7-9 “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart...”

2. Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

3. Matthew 4:4 “But he answered, ‘It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."

4. Acts 17:11 “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

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2. Sola Fide — Faith Alone

“Justification is received by faith alone, apart from works.”

Illustration:

Consider a person drowning in a river, desperately trying to swim to safety but only sinking deeper. Then a rescuer throws a life preserver, and the person simply needs to reach out and grab it. The person is saved not by swimming harder but by faith in the rescuer’s gift. Just like that, we are justified before God not by our efforts but by faith in Jesus.

Justification means being declared righteous before God. The Reformers emphasized that this is not something we earn by keeping laws or performing good deeds. It is received by faith alone—trusting fully in Christ’s righteousness credited to us.

Scriptural Basis:

Paul clearly teaches this in Romans 3:28: "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law."

Our works have no power to save us. Salvation is the gift of God’s grace, received only through faith in Jesus Christ.

Application:

Do you trust in your own goodness, or in the finished work of Christ for your salvation? The call here is to rest your hope not in your efforts, but in Christ alone. This frees us from the burden of trying to earn God’s approval and gives us peace.

This truth also calls us to share the gospel boldly: we do not ask people to clean up their lives first, but to believe in Christ alone.

In his preaching through Galatians, MacArthur highlights that faith alone is the means by which we are justified. He notes that Paul’s condemnation in Galatians 1:8–9 is directed at anyone who corrupts the gospel by adding works: “The strongest words of condemnation in all the New Testament are aimed at false teachers who corrupt the gospel.” — Reckless Faith