Here we will further define the "Five Solas" of the Reformers that still today are the foundational elements of "the faith" that the Apostle Paul delivered to "the church, which is the body of Christ" (Eph 1:22b-23a). The "Five Solas" are the absolute truths (doctrines) of "the faith" that not only freely provide salvation to believers, but also we will be "nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine (1Tim 4:6-7). knowledge of the truth sustains the believer . Martin Luther and the Reformers labored to "re-form" the church back to Paul's Biblically and dispensationally based elements of "the faith"; contrary to the heresies of Rome.

The Apostle Paul warned his son in the faith, Timothy, of the deceptions of the "... Deluding And Seducing Spirits and Doctrines That Demons Teach... " such as would come "latter times" (1Tim 4:1b), much as we actually see at work in the church still today. These demonically inspired "errors" aren't taught in taverns or at baseball parks, but from the pulpits of so-called "church buildings," under the guise of a system that calls itself "Christianity" but is not in accord with Biblical dispensational truth. These teachings usually stand on out of context Scripture to make it seemingly Biblical, while serving to deceive and rob unlearned naive believers of "the riches" of their inheritance "in Christ." The best defense for these lies and omissions of the truth is for believers to actually KNOW "the truth" of Paul's "gospel of the grace of God" (Act 20:24).

Paul knew that the Christian life does not operate on the basis of ignorance of the truth. Thus Paul uses the words "know" and "understand" ninety-three (93) times in his thirteen (13) epistles to "the body of Christ." This is why we first study the Reformers Five Solas that proclaim five core elements of the truth of the grace gospel for this age that are based upon Pauline truth. The word "evangelical" originated in the 16th century to identify those who embraced the "message" of the Protestant Reformation. The word "message" is from a related Greek word, "epangelia." The word "evangelical" is taken from the Greek word "evangelion," which is translated "gospel" in the Bible. It literally means a "message of good news."

The word "sola" is Latin for "alone," or "only," which indicates that such truths are total and singular Biblical absolutes, which are not to be adulterated with any caveat or other stipulated requirement for relationship with God. These truths stand complete on their own to form the basis of our salvation from God's judgment and "wrath." Thus I've sometimes highlight or emphasize the words ONLY and ALONE.

I repeat The "Five Solas" below to summarize the first elements of the grace gospel message of the Reformation as the absolute Biblical Truths of the Christian faith... as they are even today.

1.   Sola Scriptura - "by the Bible ALONE" is our basis for TRUTH.

2.   Sola Fide - "by Faith ALONE" is the sole basis of our receiving salvation under the terms of Paul's "the Gospel of the Grace of God" (Act 20:24).

3.   Sola Gratia - "by Grace ALONE," the "FREE GIFT" as the basis of our salvation.

4.   Solus Christus - "through Christ ALONE," as Savior, we can obtain salvation .

5.   Soli Deo Gloria - "ALL Glory to God ALONE" for He Alone has done ALL.

"Sola Fide" is Latin for "by Faith ALONE," referring to the central doctrine known as "Justification by FAITH." Any person who by FAITH ALONE trusts in the shed blood, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as "the Son of God" (cf., Rom 10:9-10) is justified, fully satisfies the righteous requirement of the Law by Christ cross-work Alone. When we extended our Faith toward Christ ALONE as Savior, we were washed in the blood of Christ, our sins were totally "forgiven" (Col 2:13), but that only made us clean. We needed something added to us s God declared us "justified" in Christ   (Rom 3:28), we "stand Holy and blameless before Him" (Eph 1:3-4). Believers have "Christ's righteousness imputed to them" (Rom 4:22-24).

"... being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9). Believers are immediately declared fully "saved" from perdition (judgment); being fully justified (acceptable to God) by their FAITH ALONE in CHRIST ALONE. Thus Paul wrote of us that we are not "appointed to (God's) wrath"... because Jesus took upon His self "the wrath of God" ... that would have applied to us had we not believed "into Christ." "God hath NOT appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by ... Christ," (1Thess 5:9). We believers can be confident that we will be "caught up with (Christ)" to heaven (1Thes 4:13-18) before the wrath of God is poured out on rebellions mankind. We will never see God's face turned toward us in wrath!

Paul wrote "NOT BY WORKS of righteousness that we have done... He Saved Us" (Titus 3:5). So, our Faith in CHRIST...  PLUS NOTHING   is the basis for our salvation, being justified and redeemed. Being "IN Christ," we now stand "righteous" before God.

"Being JUSTIFIED FREELY By His GRACE through the REDEMPTION that is In Christ Jesus… 28 A Man Is Justified By Faith Without The Deeds of THE LAW. (Rom 3:24, 28)

The truth concerning our "justification" is that it's available to us ONLY by placing our Faith in Jesus' sacrifice at the Cross on our behalf. No amount of good works, sacraments, or rites accomplished by us for us to gain eternal salvation. This doctrine of "Justification by faith" ALONE is what most distinguished Luther and the Protestant Reformers from the doctrines of the Roman church. It was the heart the Reformers message, as taken from the writings of "Paul, THE Apostle to the Gentiles," (Rom 11:13).

Martin Luther wrote this of Paul's letter to the Romans:

"This letter (Romans) is truly the most important piece in the New Testament. It is purest Gospel. It is well worth a Christian's while not only to memorize it word for word but also to occupy himself with it daily, as though it were the daily bread of the soul. It is impossible to read or to meditate on this letter too much or too well. The more one deals with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes. Therefore I want to carry out my service and, with this preface, provide an introduction to the letter, insofar as God gives me the ability, so that every one can gain the fullest possible understanding of it. Up to now it has been darkened by glosses [explanatory notes and comments which accompany a text] and by many a useless comment, but it is in itself a bright light, almost bright enough to illumine the entire Scripture.

To begin with, we have to become familiar with the vocabulary of the letter and know what St. Paul means by the words Law, Sin, Grace, Faith, Justice, Flesh, Spirit, etc. Otherwise there is no use in reading it."

This below is written of Martin Luther:

"No doctrine is of greater importance throughout the history of mankind than the doctrine of justification. Since the opening pages of human history, man has had an insatiable hunger to know how to have his sins atoned for and how to propitiate (satisfy) the demands of a holy God" (Job 9:2; 25:4).

Furthermore, in the evangelical world, no doctrine has been of greater import and significance than 'JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE' — the Reformation principle of SOLA FIDE (Faith Alone). Martin Luther rightly contends that "if the doctrine of justification is lost, the whole of Christian doctrine is lost."  ("Lectures on Galatians, in Luther's Works," ed. Jaroslav Pelikan (St. Louis: Concordia, 1963)

As I've already written, the "Five Solas" emerged during the Protestant Reformation in direct contradistinction with the teachings of the Roman church. Rome had muted and/or actually "twisted" the truth of Paul's "gospel of the grace of God." They ignored the warning from Peter in his second epistle, who in his last years, warns of ignoring Paul's "wisdom" as seen "in all his epistles." Even today, Paul's words are mostly "twisted." Peter said... ignoring Paul's truth leads men to "destruction (perdition, eternal loss)."

2 Peter 3:15-16 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord (the delay of His 2nd coming) is (extended opportunity for) salvation; even as our beloved brother PAUL also according to the WISDOM GIVEN UNTO HIM hath WRITTEN UNTO YOU; 16 As also IN ALL HIS (Paul's) EPISTLES, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which They That Are Unlearned and Unstable Wrest (Twist), as They Do Also The Other Scriptures, Unto Their Own Destruction.

"Grace" means "unearned favor" - a Free Gift! The Roman church's twisting and forsaking of Paul's "gospel of the GRACE (unearned, FREE favor) of God" is what led to the Reformation. Thanks to God's grace, the Reformers recovered many of the truths of Paul's "gospel of the grace (free gift) of God" (Acts 20:24). Though Paul never was personally with Jesus of Nazareth on earth, Paul received his "gospel of the grace of God" for the Gentiles directly from the resurrected and ascended Lord Jesus. As seen in the book of Acts, Paul traveled widely to proclaim his grace message that he had "received… by Revelation of (from) Jesus Christ" (Gal 1:12). Paul clearly preached salvation by GRACE ALONE, through faith ALONE, in Christ.

The Bible says Jesus was opposed and then killed by Israel's religious leaders (Act 3:15). Likewise, the "gospel of the grace (free gift) of God" that Paul preached was opposed by Israel's religious leaders. Israel's religious leaders had demanded Jesus' crucifixion, then they vehemently went on to oppose Paul's grace gospel. They sought to kill Paul. Some of the Messianic Pentecostal believers became Judaizers, trying to subvert Paul's grace gospel message and bring the grace believers back under "the LAW." Paul wrote; "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The Just Shall Live By Faith. (Gal 3:11). Paul says, "We have… the forgiveness of sins, according to ... His GRACE" (Eph. 1:7). These Judaizers followed Paul wherever had traveled, preached, and established grace believing churches. Man-controlled Religion in every age has attacked the essence and simplicity of the Paul's "gospel of the Grace of God."

Paul's first recorded sermon is here in Acts 13:38-39, declaring: "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man (Jesus) is preached unto you (for) the Forgiveness of Sins: And by Him all that Believe are Justified from (absolutely) ALL things, from which Ye Could NOT Be Justified by The LAW of Moses."

When God forgives a believer He no longer sees us according to our pathetic selves. He sees us clothed in Christ's righteousness. Jesus Christ took our place, dying for our sins on Calvary's cross. There He hung naked, in our place that we might now stand before God — "complete in Him (Christ)" (Col. 2:10).

"For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; (so) that we might be made the righteousness of God 'IN HIM." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

God has long-endured in His love for mankind, while man has long rebelled against God in every age. God has desired to come to an intimate union with each believer. Through simple FAITH Alone in Christ ALONE, God offers to freely cleanse us of our sins by the shed blood of His dear Son... But there's much more... because simultaneously with our believing, God also FREELY DISPENSED the "Spirit Of Life In Christ Jesus" Into Our Human Spirit... To Be Our ALL Sufficient and Eternal Life.

"because ye are sons, God Hath Sent Forth The Spirit Of His Son INTO Your Hearts..." (Galatians 4:6)

Thankfully, religion's efforts that would subvert God's message of pure grace fails whenever any person is willing to humble himself and open his heart to simply believe, trusting in the truth of Paul's "the gospel of the grace (free gift) of God." Today, the good news is exactly as it was two thousand years ago; simply "…Believe On (Trust In) The Lord Jesus Christ And Thou Shalt Be Saved…" (Acts 16:31). Paul's message of God's "grace (free gift)" is still the most profoundly relevant life-changing message ever spoken to men.

Man-controlled religion has long hindered the message of God's love and pure 100% grace toward fallen mankind and toward believers also after salvation. Jesus warned Israel's religious leaders of their "tradition" and manmade religious precepts or laws.

"Thus have ye made the commandment of God of None Effect by YOUR TRADITION. 7 Ye Hypocrites… in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the COMMANDMENTS OF MEN," (Matt 15:6-9)

Paul wrote and foretold of a time when men would not tolerate proper "sound doctrine"; rather, favoring the hearing of religion's offerings of philosophy, myths, traditions, manmade laws, and falsehoods.

"PREACH THE WORD…and DOCTRINE (instruction). 3 For the TIME WILL COME WHEN THEY WILL NOT ENDURE (stand for) SOUND DOCTRINE; but after their own lusts (desire) shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 THEY SHALL TURN AWAY THEIR EARS FROM THE TRUTH, and SHALL BE TURNED UNTO FABLES." (2Tim 4:2-4)

"Beware lest any man spoil you through PHILOSOPHY AND VAIN DECEIT, AFTER THE TRADITION OF MEN, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Col 2:8).

Sadly, the vast majority of reborn Christian's today still sit under the preaching of legalistic law preachers, and/or live under the organized hierarchical, mediatorial religious systems of Christianity. They are fed a diet of false doctrine, fables, traditions, manmade laws, pomp and spectacle, mixed with "out of context" parts of the Bible, to suit themselves.

Many believers today are left lacking in the sound doctrinal teachings of "the faith." This robs them of knowing and experiencing the riches of God's love, grace and the blessings that are found only in an intimate union... with Christ ... "Spirit to spirit" (cf., Jn 3:6). They miss out on the blessings of knowing Jesus Christ personally and in the simplicity of the relationship afforded them by the truths of the "Five Solas."