What are the 5 Solas?

The Protestant Reformation in the 16th century was a massive change in Europe's cultural, religious and social world, and ultimately it has become a world event. In the beginnings it was about getting back to the basic teachings of the Bible in Christianity. The reformers saw that over time, traditions and habits had added hiding the true message of the faith. Later in the 20th century experts began to summarize the shift by categorizing them with five important Latin phrases ulimately becoming known as the “Five Solas.” The word “sola” means “alone” or “only” in Latin, and it stresses that these concepts stand by themselves in faith and being saved.

These phrases—Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone), Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), Solus Christus (Christ Alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)— showed the main problems the reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli had with the Roman Catholic Church's ways and beliefs back then. The reformers felt the church had put too much importance on human rules, hard work, and go-betweens instead of what God provides. These solas weren't put together as one list right away in the 1500s, but they later became a short way to explain the Reformation's big beliefs. As a group, they make a strong set of ideas that still shape Protestant thinking today. They focus on depending on God's words and actions, and they guide people to live centered on true teachings from God.

Sola Scriptura: Scripture Alone

Sola Scriptura establishes the Bible as the sole, infallible authority for Christian faith and practice. The Reformers, including Martin Luther and John Calvin, opposed the Roman Catholic Church’s reliance on Tradition and the Magisterium alongside Scripture, which they believed led to unbiblical practices. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Sola Scriptura does not reject tradition outright but subjects it to biblical authority, ensuring that only Scripture binds the conscience.

Sola Fide: Faith Alone

Sola Fide asserts that justification—being declared righteous before God—comes through faith in Christ alone, apart from works. The medieval Church taught that justification required human cooperation through works and sacraments, creating uncertainty. Luther’s study of Romans 3:28—“For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law”—clarified that God imputes Christ’s righteousness to believers through faith alone.

While good works are the fruit of genuine faith (James 2:17), they are not the basis of salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 reinforces this: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Sola Gratia: Grace Alone

Sola Gratia teaches that salvation is entirely God’s gift, unearned by human effort. Due to humanity’s sinful nature (Romans 3:23), no one can seek God without His initiative. Salvation, from calling to glorification, is by God’s grace alone. As Ephesians 2:8-9 states, faith itself is a gift, ensuring no one can boast in their salvation.

This doctrine opposes any view that humans contribute to their salvation, emphasizing God’s sovereign grace (Titus 3:5).

Solus Christus: Christ Alone

Solus Christus proclaims Jesus as the only mediator between God and humanity. The Reformers rejected the medieval Church’s reliance on priests, saints, and the Pope as mediators, pointing to 1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Christ’s perfect life, death, and resurrection fully accomplished salvation (Hebrews 7:25).

This doctrine upholds the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9), affirming direct access to God through Christ, whose sacrifice is sufficient (John 19:30).

Soli Deo Gloria: Glory to God Alone

Soli Deo Gloria declares that God alone receives glory for salvation and all of life. The Reformers believed practices like venerating saints detracted from God’s glory. Romans 11:36 affirms, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

This principle extends to daily life, where all vocations glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31), sanctifying ordinary work as worship.

When embraced collectively, the impact of these individual concepts or solas multiplies exponentially, creating a synergistic effect that transforms not just individual lives but entire communities and societies. Agreeing with them all establishes a robust, unshakeable foundation for faith: Scripture provides the unchanging standard, grace and faith supply the means, Christ offers the object, and God's glory ensures the end goal. This holistic adherence should lead to a vibrant, gospel-centered view of Christianity that will resists corruption, promotes reformation in every era, with missionary zeal, and cultural flourishing—as evidenced in the historical spread of Protestantism after these ideas were fully articulated.

Since the departure through liberalization or disagreement with these tenants we have seen a diminishing of the effectiveness of the missions showing that if you take the authority out of any of these concepts the truth is no longer being expressed and the witness to the hearer of the watered down or modified word is not affected. May we always cling to the tenants of the reformers and trust in the word of the Lord following the words in the 119th psalm “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” drawing near to Him and learning to love Him more daily.

You can read more at Ligonier.org regarding the five solas.

~ john