THE FIVE SOLAS AND MAN

You might think that after two thousand years that man would finally understand that our salvation cannot be bought at any price. That there is absolutely no performance, work, act, sacrifice or mechanical effort of any kind that will satisfy the requirement for salvation. NONE! This being a biblical fact, the Apostle Paul writes; " Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of FAITH." {Rom 3:27}

If this were not so, imagine how our lives would resemble a television game show, with game show egos and prizes for the best planned salvation! There is nothing whatsoever on this earth that is created by, created from or created through man. Even the products by which we color our gray hairs comes from material and substance created by God! "For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" {1Co 4:7} Why indeed!

"For by GRACE you have been saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (9) not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (10) For we are His workmanship, created in CHRIST JESUS for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." {Eph 2:8-10 }

Paul continues citing his direct experience in discovering that Christ even found purpose in him who was trying very hard to kill and imprison those followers of the Way; all in the name (he thought) of God! "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." {1Co 15:10 }

It is a gift. It cannot be bought, sold, bartered, or earned. It is through His magnificent GRACE that we find forgiveness and the true Light.

King David understood and attempted to share this Gospel with his flock in Psalms; "And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no man living is righteous." {Psa 143:2}

Here are the Five Solas by which we all are saved:

We are saved by GRACE alone, {Sola Gratia}  Through FAITH alone, {Sola Fide} In CHRIST alone, {Solus Christus}  according to SCRIPTURE alone, {Sola Scriptura}  all for the glory of GOD alone. {Soli Deo Gloria}

"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever." {Rom 11:36}

AMEN.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

THE FIVE SOLAS AND MAN

You might think that after two thousand years that man would finally understand that our salvation cannot be bought at any price. That there is absolutely no performance, work, act, sacrifice or mechanical effort of any kind that will satisfy the requirement for salvation. NONE! This being a biblical fact, the Apostle Paul writes; " Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of FAITH." {Rom 3:27}

If this were not so, imagine how our lives would resemble a television game show, with game show egos and prizes for the best planned salvation! There is nothing whatsoever on this earth that is created by, created from or created through man. Even the products by which we color our gray hairs comes from material and substance created by God! "For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" {1Co 4:7} Why indeed!

"For by GRACE you have been saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (9) not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (10) For we are His workmanship, created in CHRIST JESUS for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." {Eph 2:8-10 }

Paul continues citing his direct experience in discovering that Christ even found purpose in him who was trying very hard to kill and imprison those followers of the Way; all in the name (he thought) of God! "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." {1Co 15:10 }

It is a gift. It cannot be bought, sold, bartered, or earned. It is through His magnificent GRACE that we find forgiveness and the true Light.

King David understood and attempted to share this Gospel with his flock in Psalms; "And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no man living is righteous." {Psa 143:2}

Here are the Five Solas by which we all are saved:

We are saved by GRACE alone, {Sola Gratia}  Through FAITH alone, {Sola Fide} In CHRIST alone, {Solus Christus}  according to SCRIPTURE alone, {Sola Scriptura}  all for the glory of GOD alone. {Soli Deo Gloria}

"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever." {Rom 11:36}

AMEN.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

HE KNEW

Joh 2:24-25 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, (25) and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Jesus had just begun His earthly ministry in the open. Water had been changed into wine and a dignitary's son was healed from afar through the spoken Word. {John Chaps 1-4}. Man had wrongly learned that there must be signs in order to believe. Disillusionment crept into man's heart when he was called to believe in faith.

Chambers writes that "disillusionment means having no more misconceptions, false impressions, and false judgments in life; it means being free from these deceptions.". These life-time learned experiences can often leave us cynical, hyper critical, and extremely judgmental of others. We begin to see others as they truly are, no illusions. We become "disillusioned"; the flaws are clearly visible.

Mar 8:23-24 Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, "Do you see anything?" (24) And he looked up and said, "I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around."

When Jesus finished healing this man and he could see clearly, disillusionment began. The healed saw with his eyes the reality of life, including the flaws, errors, vileness, ugliness of what before was hidden.

The older we are, it seems, the harsher we react to this reality. We become reactionary toward those who do not fit our very narrow molds of what we think we know. It is a myth that the older we get in years, the smarter we become. It may even be the inverse. In that premise might be found God's direction to those walking in His way. Not confrontation. Not hostility. Not argument. Not public rebuke. No, Jesus teaches us to be firm and steadfast in our love. An old adage sums it up well; Listen, listen, love, love.

As children we looked forward to what we might gain and learn. In our dotage we desperately try to hold onto learned memories which we seem to be losing. Even Godly men struggle with this reality as it closes in. Some elders become very stubborn and harsh in their counsel.

Be humble, be patient, be loving as you hear the voice and opinion of the disillusioned senior servant of God. His desire is that you see what he sees and has seen, urging you to gird your loins for what is to come.

He has no patience for the idle.

Deu 7:6-7 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. (7) "The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

HE KNEW

Joh 2:24-25 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, (25) and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Jesus had just begun His earthly ministry in the open. Water had been changed into wine and a dignitary's son was healed from afar through the spoken Word. {John Chaps 1-4}. Man had wrongly learned that there must be signs in order to believe. Disillusionment crept into man's heart when he was called to believe in faith.

Chambers writes that "disillusionment means having no more misconceptions, false impressions, and false judgments in life; it means being free from these deceptions.". These life-time learned experiences can often leave us cynical, hyper critical, and extremely judgmental of others. We begin to see others as they truly are, no illusions. We become "disillusioned"; the flaws are clearly visible.

Mar 8:23-24 Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, "Do you see anything?" (24) And he looked up and said, "I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around."

When Jesus finished healing this man and he could see clearly, disillusionment began. The healed saw with his eyes the reality of life, including the flaws, errors, vileness, ugliness of what before was hidden.

The older we are, it seems, the harsher we react to this reality. We become reactionary toward those who do not fit our very narrow molds of what we think we know. It is a myth that the older we get in years, the smarter we become. It may even be the inverse. In that premise might be found God's direction to those walking in His way. Not confrontation. Not hostility. Not argument. Not public rebuke. No, Jesus teaches us to be firm and steadfast in our love. An old adage sums it up well; Listen, listen, love, love.

As children we looked forward to what we might gain and learn. In our dotage we desperately try to hold onto learned memories which we seem to be losing. Even Godly men struggle with this reality as it closes in. Some elders become very stubborn and harsh in their counsel.

Be humble, be patient, be loving as you hear the voice and opinion of the disillusioned senior servant of God. His desire is that you see what he sees and has seen, urging you to gird your loins for what is to come.

He has no patience for the idle.

Deu 7:6-7 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. (7) "The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

..Jehovah-shalom..

Jdg 6:24 {KJV}

1Ch 22:9 'Behold, a son will be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.

Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Isa 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isa 32:18-19 Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation, And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places; (19) And it will hail when the forest comes down, And the city will be utterly laid low.

Eph 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.

Mic 5:5 This One will be our peace. When the Assyrian invades our land, When he tramples on our citadels, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight leaders of men.

Rev 17:14 "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful."

Joh 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

..Jehovah-shalom..

Jdg 6:24 {KJV}

1Ch 22:9 'Behold, a son will be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.

Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Isa 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isa 32:18-19 Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation, And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places; (19) And it will hail when the forest comes down, And the city will be utterly laid low.

Eph 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.

Mic 5:5 This One will be our peace. When the Assyrian invades our land, When he tramples on our citadels, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight leaders of men.

Rev 17:14 "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful."

Joh 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

Joh 15:4-5 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. (5) "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Joh 15:8-10 "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. (9) "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. (10) "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

1Jn 2:5 But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him.

Joh 15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1Jn 4:16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?