The five Lutheran “SOLAS” (sola, is Latin meaning
“alone”)
Sola Scriptura – Scripture Alone;
Sola Fide – Faith Alone;
Sola Gratia
– Grace Alone;
Solus Christus - Through Christ alone;
Soli Deo Gloria - God’s glory alone"
These are core principles that guide us to this day. We will review these guiding principles this
week of Easter 6
At the center of this Christian faith is the
understanding that a sinner is justified by grace alone (sola gratia) through
faith alone (sola fide) for the sake of Christ alone (solus Christus), a truth
revealed to us in Scripture alone (sola Scriptura).
Sola
Scriptura - Scripture Alone
Not your wisdom – so how’s your plan working?
You follow a man, a person; Jesus Christ, not a book. The Holy Scriptures
testify to the Word of God becoming flesh in Jesus Christ. The authority of the
Lutheran church is rooted in the testimony of scripture. The Lutheran church reads that testimony
through the eyes of the gospel, which is the good news of Jesus Christ who
defeated death and bridged the gap between humans and God.
The greatest story
ever told is the story of Christ. It is the message that God and sinners are
reconciled. It is the good news as we remember that Christ our Savior was born
on Christmas Day. “To save us all from Satan’s power lest we should go astray!” And
where do we hear this message, this story, this wonderful good news? We
discover it in the Scriptures.
The Scriptures are
our ultimate and trustworthy authority for faith and practice. This doesn’t
mean that the Bible is the only place where truth is found, but it does mean
that everything else we learn about God and his world, and all other
authorities, should be interpreted in light of Scripture. The Bible gives us
everything we need for our faith and life.
Every word of the 66
books of the Bible is inspired by God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also helps
us to understand and obey Scripture.
The Bible is about
Jesus Christ and his role as God and Savior. “For whatever was written in former days was written for our
instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the
Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4
See additionally, 2 Timothy 2:16; “But
avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.”
All we need to know
concerning the saving work of Jesus Christ, His life, His work, His love comes
to us through the Scriptures. Plan to read them every day. They are for us the
message of salvation and life.
Collect for the Word
Blessed Lord, who hast caused all Holy Scriptures to
be written for our learning, grant that we may in such wise hear them, read,
mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of Thy holy
Word we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life,
which Thou hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth
with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Heavenly Father, as the Ethiopian said to Philip, “How
can I understand what I read except someone should guide me?”, so I must
confess that I cannot understand what I read of Your Word without the Holy
Spirit’s help; open my mind and heart to the Holy Spirit Whom Your Son has
promised will guide into all truth, that I might grow in faith and be better
prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in me, through Jesus Christ, Who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
____________________
Luther’s Seal copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
Collects for the Word copyright © 2006 Lutheran Service Book, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
No comments:
Post a Comment