How Can There Be Four or Five Solas?
11/7/24
That's a great question! It's also one that needs some explanation. "Sola" is the Latin word that means "alone." During and since the Reformation, some statements became important slogans. I'll give them in Latin and English with a brief summary of each.
Sola Scriptura - Scripture alone. The Bible gives us the definitive revelation of God in Christ. It is the only infallible means we have to receive God's revelation.
Solus Christus - Christ alone. (Notice the suffix changed to agree with "Christ.") Christ alone is the redeemer who has paid the penalty for sins.
Solā Fide - By faith alone. (Notice the suffixes again. In Latin this is the ablative case which is used to indicate the means by which something is accomplished.) Salvation in Christ is received by faith without any contribution of our human good works.
Solā Gratiā - By grace alone. (See that we are again in the ablative case.) This salvation we receive by faith is not deserved by us. It comes by means of God's grace and not in any other way.
Soli Deo Gloria - Glory to God alone. (Deo and Soli are in the dative case, which indicates the one who receives something.) God receives all glory. In matters of salvation we receive no credit.
Now, the questioner asked why there could be five "only" statements. If the "sola" means "this and nothing else" like the English word "solely," it could indicate there would be one and only one such thing. How can it be "only" Scripture, Christ, grace, and faith? But that isn't what the Latin adjective means. Rather, it means that the thing which is"sola" doesn't need any help. It is complete in itself to fulfill its purpose.
As we will see in a future post, the grammar of Latin statements can be very specific. It is often hard to move a brief Latin saying into English which is accurate and compelling.
11/7/24
That's a great question! It's also one that needs some explanation. "Sola" is the Latin word that means "alone." During and since the Reformation, some statements became important slogans. I'll give them in Latin and English with a brief summary of each.
Sola Scriptura - Scripture alone. The Bible gives us the definitive revelation of God in Christ. It is the only infallible means we have to receive God's revelation.
Solus Christus - Christ alone. (Notice the suffix changed to agree with "Christ.") Christ alone is the redeemer who has paid the penalty for sins.
Solā Fide - By faith alone. (Notice the suffixes again. In Latin this is the ablative case which is used to indicate the means by which something is accomplished.) Salvation in Christ is received by faith without any contribution of our human good works.
Solā Gratiā - By grace alone. (See that we are again in the ablative case.) This salvation we receive by faith is not deserved by us. It comes by means of God's grace and not in any other way.
Soli Deo Gloria - Glory to God alone. (Deo and Soli are in the dative case, which indicates the one who receives something.) God receives all glory. In matters of salvation we receive no credit.
Now, the questioner asked why there could be five "only" statements. If the "sola" means "this and nothing else" like the English word "solely," it could indicate there would be one and only one such thing. How can it be "only" Scripture, Christ, grace, and faith? But that isn't what the Latin adjective means. Rather, it means that the thing which is"sola" doesn't need any help. It is complete in itself to fulfill its purpose.
As we will see in a future post, the grammar of Latin statements can be very specific. It is often hard to move a brief Latin saying into English which is accurate and compelling.
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