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Sermon notes:

Introduction:

The 5 Solae of the Reformation were not created by the Reformers but rather rediscovered as they returned to the text of God’s Word and began to study with renewed vigor. From their studies emerged 5 foundational truths of the gospel.

They are: Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fida, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria.

These 5 Solae do not stand separately, they are intertwined and interdependent upon each other. You can’t pick and choose, you can have some and not the others. Lose any one of these vital gospel elements and you lose the gospel. Misunderstand them, twist them, or fail to communicate them clearly and you will find a false gospel. You will find a gospel that may look and feel like Christianity but it will always fall short of true gospel if it does not line up with the 5 solae.

I want to talk to you about the 4th of the 5 solae today: Solus Christus

Of all the Solae this is probably the most controversial today. Our secular, post modern culture bristles at anything that claims exclusivity and that is exactly what this Sola does! It states a truth that is exclusive to the Christian faith and exclusive to the Bible:

“By Christ Alone”

This statement may sound simple and basic to you. But don’t dismiss it as something beneath you just yet. As with all basic truths of the Bible there is an importance contained with them, there is a depth in them that can not be fully tapped in this life time. We must never put aside these doctrines thinking that we have already learned them. As soon as we leave them behind there is a good chance that we will find that we are not holding on so tightly to them as we thought.

Furthermore inasmuch as this a is vital doctrine to the Gospel we can be sure that it will always be attacked, it will be attacked on every side, there will be new attacks, from sides and positions we didn't’ know existed before. Satan is very crafty, very deceptive, and very imaginative. Just when you think you stamped out one attack there will be another.

So, you and I need to be faithful in our studies, we don’t have the luxury of growing apathetic.

We must also remember it is for this doctrine of Solus Christus that many have been persecuted and many have lost their lives. No one is willing to lose there life for an unthought out, unstudied, and unbelieved doctrine.

Unfortunately we live in a culture that is increasingly leaning into the idea that all major religions are fundamentally the same despite some superficial differences.

It is not uncommon to come across someone who truly believes that the major religions like Christian, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam are have pretty much the same message at the core but different traditions that communicate that same message.

In response to this view Ravi Zacharias states:

“My premise is that the popular aphorism that 'all religions are fundamentally the same and only superficially different' simply is not true. It is more correct to say that all religions are, at best, superficially similar but fundamentally different.”

-Ravi Zacharias

We must be bold in declaring the truth of by Christ alone because if we are not we will most certainly lose that truth in our pluralistic culture. We will lose a vital gospel truth and lose the very foundation upon which we stand. We will lose our identity as Christians, followers of Christ, and believers in the one and only way of salvation.

As Christians we are bearers of the name of Christ and we must bear that name exclusively, boldly,