Reformation Series – No. 4 Through Christ Alone (Solus Christus)
BY CHRIST ALONE – SOLUS CHRISTUS
How many ways are there to God? According to Liberal Christianity there are many paths to God. According to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself there is only one path to God. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father apart from Me” (John 14:6). This was also the conviction of all of Christ’s disciples. Consider the words of the Apostle Peter,
Acts 4:13 For there is no other name given among men by which we must be saved.
Throughout history the church has repeatedly lost focus upon Christ. This happened in the Middle Ages, during which time the Church lost its way and became distracted by many human traditions. The Reformation was a movement back to the centrality of Jesus Christ. The bedrock belief of the Reformation was Solus Christus, which is Latin for CHRIST ALONE. The Reformers taught that the Lord Jesus did 100% of what was necessary to secure our salvation. According to the Reformers there is only one thing necessary to bring a person into a right relationship with God – FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. We live in days when the church is again drifting away from Jesus Christ.
Why did the Reformers believe this? Because they believed the Bible! According to the plain teaching of Scripture it is FAITH ALONE THAT JUSTIFIES US. So where does repentance fit in? Where do good works fit in? Repentance and good works are the fruit of God’s Spirit working in us. There is no merit attached to either repentance of good works. These are gifts which God gives all His children.
Is there any possibility that a sincere Muslim or Buddhist, who is faithful to the teaching of his own religion, will inherit eternal life? No! Jesus said that anyone who does not believe in Him is condemned: 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:16-18)
The plain teaching of Scripture demonstrates that Christ and Christ alone is the way of salvation. If you are not trusting in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation then you have been deceived by the devil and are on the way to eternal damnation in hell.