This document summarizes key aspects of the Protestant Reformation, including the imperfections of early reformers like Luther and Calvin, and the "five solas" they rediscovered: 1) Sola Scriptura - Scripture as the supreme authority over church and human reason 2) Sola Gratia - Salvation by grace alone, not works, as a gift from God through faith 3) Sola Fide - Justification by faith alone through trusting in Christ's atonement, not works 4) Solus Christus - Christ alone as mediator between God and humanity 5) Soli Deo Gloria - Glory to God alone based on who He is and what He has

1. CELEBRATING
Part Two

2. Introduction
• The reformers were imperfect instruments – they employed
questionable means to achieve their ends. The legacy they left,
the re-discovery of the five solas was timeless.

3. Imperfections!
• Luther’s anti-Semitic tirades and writings
(influenced Hitler)
• Calvin’s Geneva – city of God?
• Zwingli’s Zurich – persecution and torture of the
Anabaptists - 1526.
• England’s Reformation – agenda of Henry VIII.
Biblical parallels : Abraham, David, Peter & Paul.

4. 1. SOLA SCRIPTURA
• The issue of supreme authority – Scripture or
the Church? Or human reason?
• Difficulties : diversity of interpretations on
baptism, Lord’s supper.
• “in all things essential, unity; in all things minor,
charity”. NO to “we are the only true church.”

5. 2. SOLA GRATIA by Grace Alone
• Grace = revelation of God – his person and his work.
• Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this
is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – 9 not by works, so
that no one can boast.
• “The God of the Bible is the God of all grace (1 Pet.5:10)
Grace is love, but love of a special sort. It is a love which
stoops, sacrifices and serves, love which is kind to the
unkind, and generous to the ungrateful and underserving.
Grace is God’s unmerited favour, loving the unlovable,
seeking the fugitive, rescuing the hopeless, and lifting the
beggar from the dunghill to make him sit among princes.”
John Stott
• Response to grace? Gratitude and faith.

6. 3. SOLA FIDE
• Faith is not illogical/unreasonable nor a leap in the
dark. It is confiding trust in a person.
• How do we find faith? Romans 10:17.
• Saving faith? Romans 3: 22,25,26.
22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all
who believe. There is no difference between Jew and
Gentile…25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,
through the shedding of his blood – to be received by faith. He
did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his
forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand
unpunished 26 – he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at
the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies
those who have faith in Jesus.

7. 3. SOLA FIDE: Justification
• “When God justifies sinners, he is not declaring bad people
good, or saying they are not sinners at all; he is pronouncing
them legally righteous, free from any liability to the broken law
because he himself in his Son has borne the penalty for law-
breaking.” Stott
• Rom. 5:1 Justification is the bestowal of a righteous status, the
sinner’s re-instatement in the fellowship and favour of God.
• Captivated or bored by Justification?
The question most disputed at the time of the
Reformation, namely justification by faith
alone, now leaves people in the Protestant
Churches just as cold as in the Catholic Church.
- Hans Kung

8. 4. SOLUS CHRISTUS
• Christ alone- the centrality and pre-eminence of Christ.
• Access to God John 14:6; 1 Tim.2:15
• Cp. Virgin Mary, saints and priests. Christ only mediator;
believers are priests 1 Pet. 2:9.10.
Catholic Church:
Mary as
Co-Redeemer
and Mediatrix.
Christ as God-Man. Heb. 2:18 and 4:15,16.
Biblical Corrective:

9. 5. SOLI DEO GLORIA
• Based on who God is and what He has done
through Christ, to Him be all glory, honour
and praise!

10. 6. LESSONS FROM THE REFORMATION
• Authority and Relevance of Scripture
• Centrality of Christ
• Living & declaring the gospel of grace/faith.
• Reformation and revival of the Church.Being
a Word and Spirit community
• Worship that glorifies Triune God
• Godly and accountable leaders.
• Crooked sticks and straight lines!