One Road
We must anchor our new Christian growth methods on irrefutable principles from Scripture. Effectual discipleship is the beginning building block to set the stage for Christian growth. It is my contention that when teaching one about discipling, it is important that there is one road and only one road. John 14:6 says
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”
That which is to be taught is that there is only one true Scripture from which all truths hang. There is only one Jesus Christ and that anything taught otherwise is false teaching. That Faith in Jesus is the only saving faith. That we are only privileged to salvation through Grace alone from God and only for His glory. That God alone is worthy of praise and receives glory. Ultimately the foundational building block for evangelizing is wrapped up in these five Solas. If one veers from this foundation, one errs to false teaching. Matthew 28:20 “teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Sola is the Latin word for “only.” Matthew Barret from the Gospel Coalition says, “These five statements of the evangelical faith lay at the center of what distinguished the theology of the Reformation from the theology of the Roman Catholic church in the 16th century.” He goes on to explain, “The five solas form the nucleus of the evangelical faith. They not only capture the gospel of Jesus Christ and explain how that gospel takes root in the sinner, but they also define where the authority of that gospel resides and to what end that gospel is preached and proclaimed.”
1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone): is the belief that because Scripture is God’s inspired Word, it is the only inerrant, sufficient, and final authority for the church.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2. Solus Christus (Christ Alone): is the assertion that Christ alone is the basis on which the ungodly are justified in God’s sight
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God and the only Mediator between God and Man, and through whom His people are redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified
John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
3. Sola Fide (Faith Alone): maintains that the believer receives the redemption Christ has accomplished only through faith. Receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness is the alone instrument of justification, Christ’s righteousness being imputed to those who believe.
Isaiah 64:6 says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”
4. Sola Gratia (God’s Glory Alone): proclaims that all of our salvation, from beginning to end, is by grace and grace alone. Because of these things, the Reformers held fast to the phrase soli Deo gloria, that only God receives glory for our salvation.
God effectually calls and regenerates those whom He has chosen, not by anything foreseen in them, but by His free and special grace alone.
Ephesians 2:5-6 dead in our trespasses “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.”
We have grace upon grace in Him (John 1:16)
5. Soli Deo Gloria (God’s Glory Alone) that only God receives glory for our salvation.
1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Rest assured, the role of the Christian is to learn and replicate the knowledge and wisdom to new believers that they might be equipped to replicate, and so, and so on, and so on. We are charged with being a tool in the growth of God’s Kingdom in such a manner that God Glorifies Himself through us. Ultimately it is for the glory of Christ and His victory that we share in. What an incredible and beautiful gift we are given through the grace and mercy of God.
1 Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
As Creator of all things and Redeemer of the elect, God works all things to the praise and glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy
Deuteronomy 12:32, “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.”
Exodus 20: 4-6, “4You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.”
5 “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,
6 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”