Sola Gratia, part 1

 Getting back on track, we'll now take a look at Sola Gratia, the third of the Five Solas of the Reformation.

Sola Gratia means simply "Grace Alone," and the doctrine teaches that we are saved by God's Grace (alone), and not by anything we do. Grace, by definition, is unearned.

This is where some confusion might arise, specifically between Sola Gratia and Sola Fide. "Wait a minute" you might say. "I thought we were saved by our faith, and isn't faith something we do?"
The answer is in Ephesians 2:8-9, one of the most popular proof-texts for Sola Gratia:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast"

As we see in the passage, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone. Faith has been described as the pipes or conduits through which God's Grace flows into us. In this way, Sola Fide and Sola Gratia work together, in harmony.

But that still leaves the question: "Isn't faith something we do?" because if it is, then we should get some of the credit for salvation, since faith was on our part. Right? Well, looking back at the previous passage, we see that this saving faith (along with the Grace preceding it)  is "not of ourselves; it is the gift of God." Yes, faith is something we do, but the ability to have that faith is given to us by God as part of the salvation process. So we see that every aspect of our salvation, including faith, is a gift of God's grace.

Why is it this way? Why don't we contribute to our own salvation? Because we couldn't even if we wanted to. Sola Gratia goes hand in hand with Total Depravity: if we are dead in our sins and trespasses, and enslaved to sin, and don't seek God, then clearly we are unable to save ourselves, much less worthy of being saved. Thus, it is not only logical, but necessary that God do all the work of salvation in us.

Now the question is: what does the scripture say? Does scripture support the doctrine of Sola Gratia? The answer is yes.

Ephesians 2:1-10 says:

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 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— 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. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

This passage shows clearly how we, before salvation, were unable to save ourselves or to contribute to our salvation in any way, and therefore, that salvation is by Grace. This will be repeated over and over as we look at the following passages.

Acts 15:11 says:

"But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."

Acts 18:27 says:

"And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;"

Romans 3:23-24 says:

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,"

  Romans 5 verses 15 & 21 say:

"But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many... so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

 Romans 11:6 says:

"And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work."

Ephesians 1:7 says:

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace"

2 Thessalonians 2:16 says:

"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,"

2 Timothy 1:9 says:

"who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,"

Titus 2:11 says:

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,"

Titus 3:7 says:

"that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

These are just a few of the many verses which tell us that salvation is a gift of God's grace, and of His grace alone. It should be clear by now that Sola Gratia is a doctrine founded firmly in scripture, and one which no Christian could reasonably object to. However, as we will find out in part two of this post, there are objections to Sola Gratia, and we'll see what we can do to deal with them.

Until then, God's Grace be with you!