Week #3: Sola Gratia
Blog Series Intention Recap
This series looks at each of the five solas (“onlys” or “alones”) drawn from theology revived in the era of the Reformation: sola Scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, and soli Deo gloria. The series will define them and show how they work themselves out in our doctrine and lives. By thinking about the Bible, grace, faith, Christ, and God’s glory, we are better able to understand God’s gift to the world and how to live as we follow him.
This post is part of the series “The Five Solas.” Click here to see the rest of the posts.
Let’s jump into Week #3:
Sola Gratia: Understanding Grace Alone in Salvation
Sola Gratia, or "Grace Alone," refers to the belief that salvation is solely a gift of God's unmerited favor, given freely without any human effort or merit, and is foundational to understanding how we are saved through Christ.
Why it Matters:
Definition of Grace: Grace is God’s unmerited favor, not earned or deserved.
The Need for Grace: Since humanity is fallen, grace is essential for salvation, as seen in the story of Adam and Eve.
What Grace is Not: Grace is not a free pass; it comes at a cost, ultimately paid by Christ’s sacrifice.
Key Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10 emphasizes salvation by grace through faith, not by works.
Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification: Justification is the one-time act of God declaring a sinner righteous. Sanctification is the ongoing process of becoming more like Christ. Glorification is the final stage of salvation.
Go Deeper
By Grace alone… Sola Gratia.
Grace. We have such a hard time with the concept. For those of us who want to save ourselves, this concept can do violence to who we are. While we could follow many tracks and trails about grace, I would like to keep this exposition on “grace” simple. Grace simply defines as God’s unmerited favor. Please remember we are discussing the statement, “According to Scripture, salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone to God’s glory alone.
What is grace? Growing up, I remember my dad loving this phrase “Grace is God’s unmerited towards humans.” He was enthralled by the concept. The idea that God would show him grace would rapture his soul. To my 12-year-old mind, I equated salvation and grace together. However, as an adult, I have come to understand the subtle nuance between the two. To get the concept we have to start by asking, "Why do we need grace?"
“They hid behind some trees. They had done their best to cover the parts that now brought them shame. They had used leaves and mud to stick them as best they could. They knew He would return and after what they did they couldn’t face Him. Together, they bore the blame for doing the one thing He had asked them not to do. While she had been deceived, he couldn’t risk losing her for any reason. They had their reasons. Maybe He would understand.”
Then God shows up and things get bloody and messy. God kills two animals and fashions clothes to help with the shame. They would never be the same but God decides to save them and uses grace to do it. Grace takes sin and transforms it. It’s not merited or deserved. He protects them from themselves and moves them outside the garden.
What grace is not…. Grace is not a free pass. Grace is not God turning away from the rebellion of those he created. Grace is not free for God. Grace costs God something every time he dispensed it. Grace would ultimately cost Jesus his life.
Paul states "But God”. This moment of grace pops up throughout Scripture. Adam and Eve…. Cain… David… Peter… Paul…
Scriptures we trust:
Ephesians 2:1-10 {empahsis on 8} (ESV):
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace, you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (ESV):
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Titus 2:11-14 (ESV):
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Grace… Salvation… What does it all mean?
Justification and Sanctification… Glorification?
God saves mankind by grace alone. What a thought! Not only do I not have to do something to earn my salvation from my brokenness of sin but I cannot do anything to earn it. God has done it all! But what exactly has God done in salvation?
Justification is when God forgives sins and initiates a new relationship with them. When God declares an individual justified, He imputes His righteousness to them through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8 states this was done by God and God alone so no human would be able to take credit for their state before God. God applies saving grace and saves an individual. This work cannot be undone or altered. Normally, the ancient legal system used the word, “justification.” The legal system used the word to denote someone’s state of innocence or that proof had been given of innocence.
On the other hand, Sanctification proves to be the ongoing application of God’s grace to our lives. Sanctification moves our life to be more holy like Christ. Sanctification means to set apart and make something sacred. In the OT, sanctification often referred to the temple items used. In the NT, sanctification references displayed our position as a priest or the temple where God resides now, for instance in I Thessalonians 4.
I Thessalonians 4:3-8 (ESV)
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgresses and wrong his brother in this matter because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Sanctification does not impact our justification. I had to work to accept this concept. I had trouble with the idea I could fail and sin and not lose my justification in Christ. God’s grace impacts my failures and keeps them from being fatal or final.
Glorification comes when God consummates history. God glorifies the believer and completes the realization of all salvation processes. We see this concept in I Corinthians 3:18 - And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Sources:
Elwell, Walter. Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. Volume 2, pg. 1252
Trueman, Carl. Grace Alone: Salvation as a Gift of God. ISBN: 978-0-310-51576-0
Important Concepts
The Lord’s Supper or Communion
Implemented by Jesus and endorsed by the disciples, we take elements and remember Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus took his disciples and during the Passover meal gave them a new meal to celebrate together. He took bread and used it as a symbol of His body. Then He took a cup of wine and used it as a symbol of His blood. He made a commitment to drink the wine one day with them in His Father’s kingdom. In I Corinthians 11, Paul added some commands about eating from the Lord’s table worthily. He describes how the early church had begun to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of Jesus. He uses the words, “as often as you do this,” referring to the fact they were already doing this on a regular basis. We should look to meet with other believers and do this as well.
Matthew 26:26-29 (ESV):
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”
I Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV):
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Baptism
Jesus was baptized to begin his ministry. He was fully immersed in the river he was baptized in by John the Baptist.
Matthew 3:13-17 (ESV)
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Because of the way this story is written, I am a credobaptist. Credobaptists believe we should not be baptized until we believe and make a profession of faith. another type of baptist is paedobaptist. Catholics are not the only paedobaptists. For more information, you can check out an article here: https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2020/04/paedobaptism/.
Transmission of Grace for Salvation
For the Catholic church, grace is dispensed through the administration of the sacraments. The sacraments provide through the Holy Spirit an issuance of the divine life promised through Christ. The seven sacraments were finalized in the 11th or 12th centuries. Here we could follow those trails I mentioned earlier and dive into the transubstantiation of the communion elements into the blood and body of Christ. Are the elements indeed the blood and body of Christ or are they simply symbols as the protestants believe?
Protestants do not believe in sacraments but in ordinances. We take communion or be baptized as part of our sanctification process in obedience to Christ. We participate with the body of Christ as symbols. They symbolize the Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection while reminding us of the importance of meditating on Jesus’ sacrifice.
Sources:
https://catholiccourier.com/articles/sacraments-are-signs-of-gods-grace/
How does this help me understand, “The Five Solas?”
Sola Gratia, meaning "Grace Alone," is a foundational doctrine in Christian theology that emphasizes that salvation is entirely a gift of God's unmerited favor. It teaches that human beings can do nothing to earn or deserve salvation; instead, it is freely given by God through His grace. This grace is not dependent on human works, efforts, or merit but is bestowed solely through God's love and mercy. Sola Gratia underscores the belief that, without God's intervention, humanity would remain lost in sin, making grace the only means by which salvation is possible through faith in Jesus Christ.
