This year marks 500 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door at Wittenberg. Through this act, Luther and others brought about one of the biggest social, political and religious changes in human history. While Luther’s theses (against the church’s abuse of indulgences) kicked off the Reformation, the movement is best summarised in the famous ‘Five Solae’ statements; a catch-cry that protested the Roman Catholic view of how one is saved:
Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as found in the Scriptures alone, to the glory of God alone.
According to Roman Catholic doctrine, a person is saved through Christ’s death AND our obedience. At baptism, a Christian is filled with a special spiritual substance called ‘grace’. Since they are ‘full of grace’ at their baptism, if they were to die that day, they go straight to heaven. However, as a person sins throughout their life, that grace diminishes. It is only when the Christian ‘cooperates’ with God’s Spirit that their levels of grace are topped back up. This cooperation includes good deeds, receiving the sacraments, the purchase of indulgences, or finally, time in purgatory.
Yet when the Reformers read the Scriptures, they found no reference to a spiritual substance called ‘grace’. Rather, Eph 2:8 uses the word ‘grace’ to refer to an undeserved gift; which is salvation itself. Understanding that salvation is ‘by grace alone’ (Sola Gratia) changes everything. Having to contribute to our own salvation through good works can only ever lead to either pride (look at how many good works I’ve done) or despair (I’ll never do enough). The doctrine of grace alone frees the believer from all worry, as we can now KNOW we are saved; because it has nothing to do with us; it is the gift of God.
Brendan McLaughlin
