The Catholic church at the time of the Reformation required that common church members put their faith implicitly in the church’s teachings, and that the church was the means by which people come into a right relationship with God. Does the wider church today still do something like this? Does mission work sometimes portray this kind of thinking? Do you think there are any elements of this idea in Church@ParaVista?
How would you respond to Luther’s claim that books like Jude, James, and Revelation are of less value to the Christian because they don’t present Christ or tell us what is necessary for the gospel and salvation?
Explore further the following passages that highlight key aspects of the concept of ‘Christ alone’ (They are grouped according to the points made in the sermon). Can you think of other passages that you might add to these? Are there other aspects of ‘Christ alone’ that you don’t think were covered?
1 Tim. 2:5-6; Jn. 14:6
Heb. 1:2-3; Jn 1:1
1 Cor. 1:27-30; Rom 3:21-22; 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21
2 Cor 3:7-18
Jude 3-4
Heb. 4:14-16
Acts 4:11-12
“Salvation is salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, revealed in Scripture alone, all to God’s glory alone.” Does this modified wording help us to work out the contribution of the five ‘solas’ and explain how salvation can be said to be ‘by grace alone’, ‘by faith alone’, and ‘by Christ alone’?
The Cambridge Declaration (1996) said: “As evangelical faith has become secularized, its interests have been blurred with those of the culture. The result is a loss of absolute values, permissive individualism, and a substitution of wholeness for holiness, recovery for repentance, intuition for truth, feeling for belief, chance for providence, and immediate gratification for enduring hope. Christ and his cross have moved from the centre of our vision.” Do you agree or disagree? With some or all of the statement? How much of this (if any) have you personally seen? How much does a return to or reaffirmation of solus Christus address this concern?
What difference has thinking about Solus Christus made to you? has it changed or challenged your thinking or behaviour in any way? What will you say or do differently?