Solo Christo or Christ Alone

In case you are not aware, for the last few weeks we have been considering the Five “Solas.” That word sola, is simply the Latin word for alone or only. These five teachings seek to determine three all-important questions. First, what authority dictates spiritual truth? Secondly, how are men are brought into saving relationship with God? Third, who should receive the glory or praise for sinners being saved? So far, we have addressed three of the five solas. In this article, we will seek to understand and expound the idea of Solo Christo or Christ Alone.

As previously stated, the “faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) teaches that Scripture alone is the sole authority in determining all matters that pertain to spiritual life and godliness. In the next two articles we then sought to prove, (from the Scriptures) that fallen sinners are brought into right relationship with the Creator by grace alone through faith alone.

But the question that we must now answer is this; faith in what? Or, faith in Whom? Understand, faith must have a foundation. Faith, as revealed in the Bible, is not some random mystical idea floating around in the ether somewhere. Instead, true saving faith, or justifying faith, must have either a person or an object upon which it rests.

If, as we have already written, sinners are saved by grace alone through faith alone – we must ask and answer, faith in what? Or faith in Who? What is the Christian’s faith founded upon? Or, to make it more personal, what is your faith resting on? The Biblical answer is this; sinners are saved by grace alone, through faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone. To be justified before God, your faith must be in what Christ has done for you and not what you (or anyone else) has done for Christ.

Let me again at this juncture stop and remind you of the impassable chasm that exists between the idea of “alone” or “and.” In a sense this was (and still is) the dividing line between orthodox Christianity and everything else. Either born-again believers are saved by faith in Christ ALONE, or by faith in Christ AND something else. It cannot be both. Those faithful saints of the past fought against the idea that faith must be mixed between the work of Christ and the merit of another. True Christianity will continue to war against any notion that sinners can be reconciled to God based on the work of Christ AND someone else. Let me state one more time, to get this wrong – is to get the Gospel wrong. And when/if someone gets the Gospel wrong, they are wrong about life’s most important subject.

Contrary to the erroneous teaching of some, the Bible makes clear – God reconciles sinners based on the finished work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and not anything or anyone else. Opposed to what we are naturally inclined to believe, we are not saved by faith in Jesus plus our good works. Titus 3:5 specifically addresses this and declares; “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” Another supporting passage is this, Philippians 3:9, ” found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.” You will note, the writer says we are not saved by our good deeds, but through faith in Christ. Not in Christ AND something else… or someone else, but Christ alone. To put this idea in the simplest terms, just Jesus is what we need.

Not only can individuals not be saved by faith in their own efforts, but sinners cannot be saved by faith in Jesus PLUS the accomplishments of another. Friends, to suggest what Jesus did is insufficient to save and the merit of another must be added to it, is an insult to the sacrificial work of the Savior. Teaching and believing as some do, that what Jesus endured while on the cross wasn’t enough, and we need to add to it, is an egregious offense to the unimaginable miseries of Jesus the Messiah. Please do not let anyone mislead you; men are not redeemed by the merit of Jesus plus any person. The Bible says, there is One Mediator between God and men, and that is the man, Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).

Allow me to give one further Biblical evidence, this one from the lips of the Messiah Himself. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but by me.” Perhaps you noticed Jesus did not say He was “a” way to God, but “the” way. As the sinless Son of God, Jesus is the only suitable and sufficient Savior of sinners. Faith in His perfect life, in His atoning death and in His glorious resurrection alone is what saves sinners. Plus nothing.

Those old hymns still teach a lot of sound doctrine. For example, “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Let the truth of this one verse sink into your soul, “Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.” Not Jesus plus … just Jesus.

Anyone, at any time – in any place, who has ever become a Christian, has done so by grace alone, through faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone.

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