5 Keys to Healthy Faith

Even though you were a Christian from birth, you believed that you had to be really good and build up your good works like a savings account, and if you were good enough you could go to heaven, otherwise you had to go to purgatory until your old sins were purged out.

This was the state of the late medieval church in Europe:

Christians didn’t have access to the Bible in their own language, either orally or in writing.

They thought they had to work or pay their way into heaven.

They didn’t understand the grace of God.

They thought that dead Christians could help them.

Then God raised up a disparate group of people across Europe.

There were a early voices like John Hus, and John Wycliffe, but they were dealt with early.

Then came along Martin Luther.

In 1517 on October 31 he nailed 95 ideas to the public noticeboard - the church door - in Wittenburg, Germany.

These 95 points, or theses, were things that Luther wanted to debate with other people. He wanted to have a good discussion and get to the bottom of some of his concerns, namely that the church was trying to sell passes into heaven.

Luther had the opportunity to go back to the Bible in Greek and Hebrew, and the more he studied, the more he saw the traditions and teachings of the church that did not align with God’s word.

But most importantly, he saw the Gospel clearly: that we are saved by grace through Jesus Christ, accessed by faith. There is nothing anyone can do to save themselves or to add anything to their Salvation.

As Luther discovered these things, he had no intention of creating break away church movements, he wanted to work it through, and then see change from within the church. There were only two main “denominations” there was the Eastern and the Western church. We now call them the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic church.

There was no real option of other denominations to join when you discovered bad theology!

So Luther was keen to see the truth of Scripture transform the western church.

But alas it was not to be.

Instead he was exiled, and he had no choice but to preach and teach the Scriptures forming a new branch of the church. What we call today Lutheran.

While Luther was the big name who started this ball rolling, he was soon joined by many others who went back to the Bible to discover the Gospel for themselves. Soon there were folks all over Europe throwing off the false teaching of Rome and finding joy in a Gospel of Grace in Jesus Christ. They translated the Bible enabling common people hear and read God’s word for themselves.

Great men lead this movement, studying the scriptures to see how the Church should be reformed in a way that is pleasing to God. They include men such as John Knox, John Calvin (lots of Johns!), Ulrich Zwingli and Thomas Cranmer.

Although they were violently opposed, they oversaw a return to the scriptures and a revival of faith across Europe, from England & Scotland, to Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland. Unfortunately there was not much ground gained in Spain, France & Italy.

Nevertheless, this change saw massive social, religious and cultural upheaval, and this Reformation is in part responsible for the wealth that most western nations enjoy to this day.

It is because of the reformation that we stand here today with the Bible in our language, and a clear Gospel of Grace through Jesus Christ accessed by faith alone.

Just as the Jews celebrate the recovery of the Jewish from Antiochus Epiphanes, we clebrate the recovery of the Gospel from Rome.

Disclaimer: We’re not here to lambaste the Roman Catholics, although technically they still hold the opposite position on these solas. That why we’re still the “protestant” church, we are protesting the bad teaching. In theory if they gave up these positions we could all come back together again. Until that day, all ecumenical efforts are futile. It’s about the crux of the Gospel.

Despite this, I’m sure that there are many believers in the Roman Catholic church who are trusting in Jesus alone for salvation, either in ignorance of the doctrine on the books, or in-spite of the official teaching of their church.

We’re not here to try and drag them down, only to proclaim the truth of the Gospel.

Let’s Continue to Pray for the Reformation of the Roman church, as well as the Eastern churches (e.g. Greek, Russian, Antiochian Orthodox) who hold some similar positions. We all stand on the same footing of the Apostles Creed, Nicean Creed and Chalecdonian Creed, but we long for the day when Justification by Faith alone in Christ alone is their cry too.

You might say, “Samuel, this is all interesting historical information, but what does it have to do with us?

Well,

It is important to remember the wonderful providence of God and celebrate his gifts to us,

It is important to know our history, so that we do not fall into the same traps again,

and also, many churches even today have departed from the truths we recovered. it is just as important as ever to know and stick to the true Gospel.

On all sides there are so-called protestant or evangelical churches who undermine or even reject these important truths.

So for the rest of our time together, I want us to briefly review 5 key elements of biblical truth that were recovered through the Reformation.

Even for us today they are important. They are 5 Keys to Healthy Faith. 5 Keys to Healthy Churches.

These 5 summary statements are called the “5 Solas”. They are often written in their Latin versions, but don’t worry! They are very easy to translate.

In fact kids, I want you to see if you can translate each of the 5 Solas into English for me and come show me at the end of the service. I’ll be giving you the answers, so try to listen out for each translation!

Sola Scriptura

The First Sola is Scripture Alone - Sola Scriptura.

You will see that each of these Solas is about something standing alone. Each of these 5 things were being mixed with other stuff, so they are to stand alone, in opposition to something else.

In the case of Sola Scriptura, Scripture alone, the Scriptures are our only source of truth from God.

Scripture alone is the only rule of faith and life.

During the Reformation, and even today, the Roman church asserts that although the scriptures are true and without error, and from God, you need to read the Bible in light of Tradition and what the Pope has said. It is described like a three legged stool, and you need all three to agree on something before it’s considered solid teaching.

While there is great wisdom in considering the insight of church leadership, and what others have said throughout history, if the Word of God has to be interpreted by special people on your behalf, then it basically means you can’t understand God’s word for yourself. You are at the mercy of other to hear what God says in His word.

What does the Bible say about itself?

Well it doesn’t say you need a special guild of people to verify what God’s word means! He stands alone from us, and is able to speak clearly by himself!

2 Timothy 3:14–17 NIV

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Here in Paul’s letter to Timothy we see a few things very clearly:

the Scriptures (in this case, he’s only referring to the OT, because the NT wasn’t finished yet!) are able to make a person “wise for salvation” The scriptures can show us what we need to know to be saved.

The scripture comes from God - it is literally inspired by Him. It is his word to us.

The Bible is for teaching us how we should live, God equips us for good works through His word.

The Bible itself isn’t our source of Salvation, but it points us to the one who is, Jesus!

Not:

Only source of truth. The scriptures aren’t trying to be a car manual, or science textbook or a forensic historical account of battles, or a guidebook for 20th century geo-politics. But everything that God says through the Scriptures is true. Although it is not a parenting manual, the instructions around parenting are good and right and will lead to our flourishing. Same goes for money, relationships, work, etc. but don’t treat the Bible like something it’s not trying to be.

Everything is clear - “those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the educated, but the uneducated, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.” WCF 1.7

Understandable without the HS. We need to HS to illuminate God’s truth so that we can understand and believe.

Fundamentalism - a “proof text” faith. There are things that are implied, or need to be deduced from scripture. Some biblical teaching doesn’t have a proof text. Trinity is an example.

Modern departures:

False Prophecy - There are a proliferation of churches who spruik nonsense and then attribute it to God, so then they bind the consciences of other people to think they are disobeying God if they reject the so-called prophecy. I don’t outright reject the idea of modern prophecy, but I reckon anybody who claims to speak a message from God should vow that they will submit to the OT consequences for false prophecy - we’d have a lot less nonsense fro church pulpits that leads the people astray.

Syncretistic Scientism - where we make God’s word a secondary source of truth to our scientific endevours. The whole format of science is one of continual testing and discovery, and every few months there is a new discovery that appears to undermine some old ideas we took as fact. It’s very nature is to be skeptical. It is valuable, and good to study God’s world and see to understand it! But it is no foundation on which to build our faith. We hear from God in his Scripture alone!

So, when we turn to scripture alone, what does it tell us? The next 4 Solas!

Solus Christus

Through Christ Alone is the saving human-mediator.

You may think this is obvious, but not for Renaissance Christians. They were taught that the priests were mediators between them and God. And you must remember that they prayed to saints to try and get blessings from God. Mary especially has been idolized as a co-meadiatrix or co-redemptrix. She is prayed to very regularly and considered the “Queen of Heaven.”

The most the Bible says about Mary with regard this kind of stuff, is that we will call here blessed. And we do, she was blessed with a wonderful role as mother of Jesus, but it says nothing about this other stuff.

Instead, we are told that there is only one mediator for us:

1 Timothy 2:5–6 NIV

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

We do not need saints to bend Jesus ear on our behalf, or for them to give us some of their stored up good deeds to get us into heaven. We do not need preists to stand between us and God. We have direct access to God through Jesus.

The other thing that this Sola teaches us, is that Christ alone is Head of the Church - Not Popes. The Leader of the Roman church (and eastern churches ) are called Father, Papa or Pope.

Although there were bishops across all these churches, the Bishop of Rome tried to assert dominance over all (hence the Great Schism). The Pope is said to be the chief shepherd and head of the church, but this presumption and pride. The scriptures once again teach us...

Ephesians 5:23 (NIV)

...Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

Christ alone is the head of the Church.

Christ alone is the Mediator between God and Man.

Christ alone is the Redeemer, we cannot add anything to our Salvation.

How do we access that Salvation? By What mechanism?

Sola Fide

Faith alone is the mechanism of Salvation.

We’re going to use a big word here: Justification.

This is what need to happen to us to be saved. We need to be Justified. Put in God’s good books.

We need to be righteous to enter God’s presence, but we are sinners, so we need to be cleansed and justified.

There were other things being taught in Luther’s Day:

Baptism wiped the slate clean (in God’s grace) cleansing you

You had to have faith, and merit salvation through good works.

So you essentially had to co-operate with God’s grace to work up enough good works to earn Salvation. You were justified by being baptized, having faith, and doing enough good works.

But what does the bible have to say about this?

Romans 3:28 NIV

For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Works of the Law being the good things that God commands his people to do. Also,

Galatians 2:16 NIV

know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

All the good works that God calls us to do can never justify us, we need Jesus to Justify us! And he will! by Faith!

It is through faith alone that we are justified, not baptism, not by earning enough merit to tip the scales in our favour.

Trusting in Jesus is what God calls us to do. And that is all that we need to enter God’s kingdom!

All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved!

Not:

Faith without works (that’s dead)

Vague faith - it is faith in the real person and work of Jesus Christ who died for you and rose from the dead.

Seeing baptism as optional.

Departures:

Lutheran baptism for Salvation

Tongues sign of having the HS

Good works to keep your salvation - faith alone justifies!

Sola Gratia

So if we are saved only through faith without works, then that means God is saving by grace.

Grace Alone is why we receive Salvation, not from meriting it ousleves.

Tied in with Faith Alone, grace alone reminds us that although faith is what Justifies, it is all from the grace of God. Grace without Works.

If you’re looking for a job and you see an add in the paper, then you go in for an interview and they hire you, now you work for your employer. When they give you pay at the end of the week, you have earned it. They might say “we were gracious to you in giving you that job” but you still had to do the work.

That was how RC spoke about Salvation - God will get you started, but then you need to work with him to earn it.

Not what the Bible says:

Ephesians 2:8–9 NIV

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

By grace alone. Nothing we have done has earned God’s favor.

Not:

Even looking down the corridors of time to see if I believe in Jesus. His grace is what brings about our faith. Faith itself is a gift from God. He chooses of his own volition to save people. It is all of grace.

Departures:

Contributing to my salvation. Nothing, not even my apparent choice to believe is from myself. Even the faith I have is a gift from God. This is probably the most widespread among Christians without even realising it. It is an ancient heresy of Pelagianism.

Soli Deo Gloria

Although not technically rejected by the Roman church, their scheme of teaching had lead people to ascribe God’s glory to humans. God get’s the glory for saving his people, nobody else!

Romans 11:36 NIV

For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Romans 11:33–36 NIV

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Ultimately everything we do should be for God’s glory. That why a famous reformation catechism starts like this:

Not mean?

We cannot honour people (dead or alive)

“What is the chief end of man?

Man’ s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.”

The Westminster Shorter Catechism: Q1

Reformed Church is important (that’s why we’re a reformed church) - because it means

God speaks through His Scriptures alone

about Salvation through Christ alone,

accessed through faith alone,

all from Grace alone,

To the Glory of God Alone.

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