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Sermon Notes:

Soli Deo Gloria

Introduction:

Probably when you hear the phrase Soli Deo Gloria you think of the Christmas song “Angels We Have Heard on High.” The chorus goes:

Gloria, in excelsis Deo

Gloria, in excelsis Deo

I’m sure many have wondered what those Latin words mean. While not exactly the same words as “Soli Deo Gloria” This song does capture the same idea. Unfortunately, for many these words and this song is nothing more than a pleasant tradition. It is a nice song to sing with Christmas lights and a manger scene in the background. It brings us warm and comforting feelings of Christmas, family, and Christmas story.

Yet when we look deeply at these words we find meaning and significance for our life and for eternity that is vital to the gospel message, foundational for our church, and integral to the Christian life.

For the Reformers the idea of Soli Deo Gloria was core to their message of a gospel that was by faith alone, grace alone, and Christ alone!

In fact when the Reformers reintroduced the idea of Soli Deo Gloria it was anything but a nice traditional Christmas song, in ran against the prevailing tradition of their time. This kind of teaching was condemned by the Catholic Church and some of the Reformers lost their lives for making such bold statements as “Soli Deo Gloria”

What is Soli Deo Gloria?

Simply put the Latin phrase means “To God alone be glory.”

This is the culmination of the the 5 Solas. It is the logical conclusion of the other 4 Solas. If God saves by faith alone, grace along, and Christ alone then logically He is the only one who can receive glory for our salvation.

On the other hand if we take Catholic theology which denies salvation by faith alone, grace alone, and in Christ alone, then how can we say that it is all for God’s glory alone? We can’t!

If salvation is a cooperative effort of myself, my priest, the sacraments and God, then the glory for my salvation must also go to each of those things which had a part in my salvation.

Furthermore, Catholic theology condones what they call the veneration of the Saints. This includes the making of statues, the preservation of bodies or parts of the body of saints. Faithful Catholics venerate these saints by bowing and kissing there statues, praying to them, asking them for protection and help, putting their statues in prominent places where they can be venerated, making pilgrimages to see the relics of the saints or to visit places where the saints have been.

In order to justify themselves they call this “veneration” and not “worship” However, without the clarification it is plain to even a child that if you drop to your knees before a statue, pray to that statue, light a candle in honor of that statue, and put your hope in that saint performing some good work in your life, such as keeping you safe, or giving you health, or providing for your material needs:

That is worship in every sense of the word!

Pastor John Piper defines God's glory this way:

“In speaking of God’s glory, the Bible assumes that this infinite value has entered creation. It has, as it were, shined. God’s glory is the radiance of His holiness, the out-streaming of His infinite value. And when it streams out, it is seen as beautiful and great. It has both infinite quality and magnitude. So, we may define God’s glory as the beauty and greatness of His manifold perfections.”

-John Piper

The angels gave God glory

Luk 2:8-15

8  And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.