Hi, this is Josh Montez and welcome back to the Hymn We Proclaim podcast. In this special six-part series, we're revisiting the foundational gospel truths that turned the world upside down 500 years ago and still shape the Christian life today. We're talking about the five solas of the Reformation.
Sola Scriptura, Scripture alone, it's our final authority.
Sola gratia, grace alone saves us, not merit.
Sola fide, faith alone, not works, justifies.
Solus Christus, Christ alone is our only mediator. and solia deo gloria to God alone be the glory. But these aren't just historical slogans, they're fuel for the Christian life. Pastor John unpacks how each one connects directly to our daily battles with sin. our assurance in Christ and our joy in the gospel.
You'll come away not only understanding what these solas mean, but how they free you to live with confidence, conviction, and clarity. Here's Rediscovering and Proclaiming the Five Solas, Part six Well, it was a blessing last week to not be here. And that might sound strange, but was because I got to go see my son playing his first college basketball game. It was fun. He got about five and a half minutes, which we didn't expect he would get any minutes this season because he's a freshman and everything isn't new and he's working, but he played great.
He got on ESPN. And this past week, I was at a basketball practice with Stewart, and Stewart's coach came up and said, hey, John, I was at the gas station this afternoon. And these people walked up and said, hey. We've come to your gym before and we used to watch you shoot with this kid and he would just shoot and shoot and shoot and he was such a good shooter. We saw him on ESPN last night and he goes, wow, he goes, well, what did he look like?
And it was my son.
So that was a great start. And what a blessing to watch that.
So thank you for letting me go do that. It's a blessing to be back here this week because last week at church. I was thinking about that because here's why. We can become so accustomed to coming to church And just take for granted that Christ in the gospel is going to be central. We can't.
Make that mistake. Because why? Because here's why: Ephesians chapter four. Paul says that the risen Christ has ascended because of his victory. As the conquering king, To pour out upon his people who he summons to gather before him weekly at the Lord's Day.
and to pour out upon them Gifts. That's when we come to church. We come to church to be gifted. To be, say, like this, to be graced. What does that mean?
Grace is what saves me from my sin and misery. And that's good news. And I have to hear that. I have to hear that. I come to church each week with this great, exciting expectation that, oh, wow.
I get to meet Christ. I get to see him, I get to hear him, I get to encounter him. It's not that I just come to church and I had this information dump. It's not a systematic theology class. You open up the Bible like a systematic theology textbook and just fill my brain with information.
I go, okay. No, no, no, no.
So much. What are the scriptures? The scriptures are the living, breathing word of God. Where God Himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is speaking to us. That's why last week, for example, in the worship service, no scripture was read.
None. They had no time devoted to just sit there at my seat and let God speak to me from His perfect word. None. And so here's what happens. If God speaks to me in his word, what is my response?
Thanks be to God, gratitude. Today I had the opportunity to say, thanks be to God. And I have said this so many times in our church, but we have to get it and understand it. What if God was silent? Could you imagine if God had chosen to be silent and not reveal Christ?
Not reveal grace, mercy, kindness, redemption, justification, reconciliation, propitiation, all these wonderful truths of the gospel. What if he had just chosen? I'm not going to speak. I'm not going to reveal my glory to these people who are fallen. I'm just going to let them go.
That's the ultimate act of judgment. It's for God to just let You Go! And here's what is the glory of the gospel and the glory of Christ. Look at this fifth Zola today. Glory to God alone.
Listen carefully. Christ. is the glory of God. The gospel takes us dead aim to the center of the target, which is the glory of God shining to us in the face of Christ. We looked at These five solos for the past couple weeks.
Scripture, scripture alone, our final authority. Christ alone, our only mediator. Grace alone, our only cause of salvation, faith alone, our only instrument that unites us to Christ for salvation. All of those solos culminate into the glory of God. And so I just want to show you briefly this morning how this one works.
Look at Romans chapter. 811. Look what the Apostle Paul says. Look at verses 33 to 36.
Okay. Verses 33 to 36, he says, Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became his counselor, or who has first given to him that it should That it might be paid back to him again. You see he takes the initiative.
Look at this. Four from him. And through him. And to him are All things. To him be the glory forever.
Uh man. The Apostle Paul, looking at this scripture. He just breaks, he's writing these grand truths about the gospel from chapter 3 to chapter 11. When he gets to this point, He just stops and he breaks out into this spontaneous outburst of doxology of praise. He can't help himself.
Because as he reflects upon what he's just r written. Chapter 3 to 5, Justification. God justifies the ungodly. Shocking statement that he makes in chapter 3. Chapter four.
God justifies the ungodly. And he thinks about that. Chapter 6, sanctification. Sanctification is what? Salvation.
Salvation from the power of sin that holds us in its grip each day. God is saving us from that. As he unites us to Christ, and as we become aware that we have died with Christ. And that we have been raised again with Him. New creation, to walk in holiness.
And then he says in chapters 9 through 11, those whom he's justified, those who he has sanctified, who he is saving from the guilt of sin, saving from the power of sin, chapter 8, they'll be glorified. They'll be freed from the presence of sin forever. How many of you are just looking forward to that day where every thought, word, need, and desire that you have. It's sinless. Amen.
That day is coming. Paul says in chapter 8: If you're suffering from physical ailments, he says, I know because the whole creation groans and suffers with you, but one day, The glory of the sons of God will be revealed, not just spiritually, but physically. I'm looking forward to that day to be freed from this body of death. And to have a glorified body that is exactly like Jesus is right now, who is reigning in heaven. Just like him.
That's what Paul says in Philippians chapter 3. He says that God by his power will transform our lonely bodies into conformity with his glorious body. Can you imagine? Can you imagine Jack and Reed, right? All that you guys have been through these past couple years, and the church has walked with you guys through.
One day, Jack reads bodies. Will be like Jesus' glorious body, and something mine, and something yours, and something everybody here who's trusting in Christ. All that Paul says, he just reflects on these things. And he comes at this point in chapters 9 through 11. The Jewish people.
Because Paul was Jewish, they're going, but wait a minute, Paul. God called us, but we all fell away. The northern kingdom of Israel is gone forever. It's never come back into existence. The Roman government has complete dominion over us now.
There's no king on the throne. There's no great Solomonic temple. There's no glory. It's all gone, Paul. What about us?
God is not faithful to His word, He's not going to keep His promise. In chapters nine through eleven, Paul assures them, he says, Oh no. Those whom he's justified, he has sanctified, and those whom he's sanctifying, he has glorified. And how can you be sure of that? He says, Because God has chosen you and he's preserving you.
That's chapters 9 through 11. God's promise can be relied upon and He'll keep it forever. Just trust His promise. And so Paul, from chapters 3 to chapters 11, all in between, he stops at this point. In verses 33 to 36, and he's so overcome by the glory of God revealed in Christ, this plan of salvation in the gospel itself, he says this.
He says, Oh, the depth of the riches. Both of the wisdom And knowledge of God. All of this great, grand truth of the gospel reveals to me the depth of the riches of God's wisdom. No man could come up with a plan this great. No man could conceive something like this.
No man has the knowledge to produce something like this. How unsearchable are his judgments, unfathomable his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has become his counselor? Who has given him advice and counsel to carry out this great plan of salvation?
And then he says this. Look yes, he gives three reasons why. Salvation gives glory to God. Oh, so be damn gloria. He says first, he says, for salvation is from God, for from him are all things.
What's this all things in this context? All things is everything he's talked about since chapter 3: justification, sanctification, and glorification. The glorification of all creation. Of all physical creation becoming a new creation in Christ, all of that justified, sanctified, saved from the guilt of sin, saved from the power of sin, saved from the presence of sin, brought into a new world, a new creation, all of creation, all things, he says, listen to this. It comes from him.
It comes from him. Salvation is from God, the whole package. And he says, from him are all things, the whole package of salvation. To him be the glory forever. Amen.
There's nothing else to say but us. Ever. Amen, all right, amen.
However you want to say it, right? Amen, amen. Um But he says, listen, he says, our triune God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That's how we begin our worship service. Why?
Not to sound fancy, not to sound like, oh, blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Welcome to church today. It's not like that. Why? We are proclaiming a profound truth to the world that is countercultural.
This is the true God. This is the only true God. And this is the true God who has brought us salvation. Blessed be that God. Glory to this God.
That's what we're saying as we begin. Glory to God, the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And that's what Paul says here. God is the source, the triune God is the source of our salvation. The entire plan of salvation was conceived by God.
Look at the depth of his wisdom. Look at the depth of his knowledge. His judgments are unsearchable. His ways are unfathomable. Who has known the mind of God?
Who has counseled God? Who has taught God? All of this plan of salvation is from him. He is the source. The Chinese God, he is the author, he is the architect.
I love what Grantland Goldsworthy says. He says, it is God's gospel. He is the author of it. He's the one who puts it into effect. It achieves what he wants it to do, and in the way that he determines.
It deals with the problems that he perceives and defines. It does not primarily deal with our needs as we perceive them. How can I have my best life now? How can overcome my hang-ups? How can it make sense of my existence?
Hmm. The gospel might include these things as a benefit. But the gospel is God's way of dealing with his problem. Of how he, a holy and just God, can justify and accept me, the sinner. And he says, as Paul says here, only God's wisdom is great enough to devise a plan that will achieve this.
And so Paul says, salvation from beginning to end, all things. or from him. For from him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Solide of Gloria. Second, Paul says, look at verse 36. He says, salvation is through him. For through him are all things To him be the glory forever. Amen.
For through him, for through him are all things. For through him is my justification. For through him is my sanctification. For through him is my ultimate glorification. For through him is the liberation and salvation of all creation.
To him be the glory forever. Amen. Salvation, our triune God is the accomplisher of our salvation. The entire plan of salvation has been carried out and accomplished by our triune God since Genesis 3.15. Salvation, how did he accomplish it?
He accomplished it through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God. And s oh, salvation. is not through our work. Salvation is through the work of God the Son. Incarnate, who said this in John 17, verse 4, as he prayed to his father?
He says, I glorified you on the earth. Having accomplished the work which you have given me to do. That's the covenant of redemption. The source of our salvation, where it all originated, where it all came from, and by Jesus coming in the incarnation to carry out and accomplish the work. The saving work that the Father sent him to do on our behalf.
He says, I have glorified you. Titus chapter 3, verses 5 and 6, Paul says that he, the triene God, saved us, not on the basis. of deeds which we have done in righteousness. But he saved us on the basis, which is according to his mercy. He saved us according to His mercy.
Say that with me. He saved us according to His mercy. What is this mercy? It's the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Whom he poured out upon us richly.
Listen, through Jesus Christ our Savior, salvation is through him. It is through Jesus Christ our Savior. To be the glory forever. Amen. Look at what Paul says in the thirty-sixth verse.
He says, for to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. Salvation is from God. Salvation is through God.
Salvation is To God. For to him, for to him are all things. Again, I've said this so many times, but just to remind you, the good theology is in the prepositions. Salvation is from. God, preposition from, salvation is through God.
Preposition, salvation is to God. He is the source. He is the accomplisher. And he is the target. He is the goal.
He is the point. He is the purpose. Paul says, salvation was not our idea. Who has become his counselor? Who has had this wisdom?
Who has had this knowledge? Who has given counsel to God? We're not the authors. Salvation is from God. Salvation is not our accomplishment.
Salvation is from God. We're not the workers. God is the worker. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the workers. We are the beneficiaries, the recipients.
We come to be gifted. He is the giver. He is the giver. He is the gift giver. We are the recipients who come to be.
Blessed, gifted, graced. We're not the workers. Salvation is through God. It's not our accomplishment. He accomplished it through the incarnation of Christ.
Salvation is not for our glory. We're not the deserving. We're the workers in the vineyard. who showed up at closing time at five o'clock. and got the exact same wage as those who showed up at six o'clock in the morning.
We don't deserve it. That is not deserving. And that's the point. We have nothing to boast about, the Apostle Paul. For by grace you have been saved through faith, by grace, through faith.
and that not of yourselves. You see. It's the gift. of God, the gift giver. Not as a resultant works.
Why? So that no one may boast. No one can glory. No one can take the credit. No one can look good except God.
Salvation is, Paul says. to God.
Now, have you heard this phrase? And it's typically given like this: it's not about you. It's not about you. Have you guys heard that? It's not about you.
Yeah.
Sometimes this phrase comes across as sounding harsh. That God, if not explicitly, but implicitly, you go away with the feeling.
Well, gosh, I guess I'm not that important. I guess God doesn't really like me all that much. He doesn't maybe care about me all that much because it's not about you. It's not about you. That's not how you should take that.
Because when you hear it's not about you. Listen carefully. Tick, that is good news. Take that as comfort. I'm gonna tell you why.
God glorifies himself in Christ. By showing you through Christ just how you can do that. How much he loves you?
So when you hear it's not about you, say, oh, I am so glad. Why? Because God is glorifying himself by revealing Christ to you to show you through Christ. John says in 1 John, this is love. Not that we love God, but that God first loved us and then he sent his son to be a propitiation for our sins.
If you ever doubt the fact that God loves you, look at the cross. There, where God glorifies Himself perfectly through Christ. It's how much he loves you. And as he shows his kindness to you, as he shows his mercy to you, his grace to you, as he reveals his son to you, as I said at the beginning, as God speaks to you through perfect revelation inspired by the Holy Spirit, he is saying, I love you, and that glorifies God, and that is what ultimately satisfies your heart. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says about this in Ephesians chapter 2.
He says you We're dead. You were dead. Yeah.
How dad is dead? Dad. You were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them, we too all formerly lived in lust desires of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh. And no and I don't mind.
He says, and more am I nature, children of wrath, even as the rest, but God. Being rich in mercy. Because of his great love with which he loved us. You see. Even when we were dead, And our transgressions 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. Why? So that, and here it is. It's not about you, and here's why.
Why is that good news that it's not about you? Paul's going to tell you right now.
So that in the ages to come, He, the triune God, might show the surpassing riches of His grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. Did you hear that? In the ages to come, salvation is to God. All things, Paul says, it is from him, it is through him, it is to him. Why is it to him?
Why is it not about you? Why is that good news? Because God, in the ages to come, for all eternities, what he's saying, forevermore, wants to show you. He wants you to see, beginning here today. The surpassing riches of his grace.
in his kindness. Toward us. In Christ Jesus, the Messiah, Jesus. Who ha That's unfathomable. Who has that kind of wisdom?
Who has that kind of knowledge? Who has counseled God to be like that? God wants you here today to see and taste His kindness. To see and taste his grace. To see his glory, to see it's not about you.
Why? Because if it was about you, you couldn't see his kindness, grace, and mercy, and salvation. Couldn't experience it. God is the source of our salvation, for from Him are all things. He is the accomplished of our salvation, for through Him are all things.
He is the goal of our salvation, for to Him are all things. Consequently, to Him be the glory forever. Amen. Suddenly they owe Gloria.
So why so scriptur as we finish? Yeah.
Because the scriptures teach us that salvation is by grace alone. Yeah.
Through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone, which does what? It humbles us and it glorifies God. God gets the credit. We become the beneficiaries. We get the benefit.
You want God to be glorified. Why? Because when He's glorified, we're the beneficiaries. When I'm glorified, I don't benefit. I don't.
How do I know that? Look at Satan. What did he want? He went in God's place and look what happened to him. Not a good place to be.
Why Grayson Home? Because the grace of God in Christ glorifies God. The Apostle Paul, three times in the first chapter of Ephesians, verse 6, verse 12, verse 14, he says, to the praise, he said, the whole plan of salvation. By the triune God, from eternity past to accomplishment in the present by Christ to eternity future, we're glorified. He says, it is to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he has freely bestowed on us in the beloved in Christ.
Love what Jeremy Bridges says here. He says, The fact that God deals with his children. on the basis of grace. Wi without regard to merit. Or demerit.
is a staggering concept. It is opposed to almost everything we have been taught about life. He's exactly right. Just consider briefly about grace. The so-called rose of the faith in Hebrews chapter 11.
You'll be struck by this STOP! Dark reality. This great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews chapter 11 includes those who struggled with drunkenness, Noah. Anger. Moses.
Sexual impurity, Samson. Polegamists. Abraham. Deceivers. Liars.
Jacob. The odors. Sarah. And Abraham.
Sounds like a good crew of people, doesn't it? The fact that Scripture is shockingly honest about believers' sin is in order to make it crystal clear. that salvation is by grace alone. Through faith alone. in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone.
Christ Says Sinners. Why faith alone? Because faith is opposed to works. Because faith is a gift that that gives Total glory to Christ because faith is a gift that causes me to look outside of myself, which is my problem, and to turn upward toward God in Christ in faith, and outward toward my neighbor in love and good works. And that's what glorifies God.
Why Christ alone? Because the scriptures teach that Christ As revealed by the Holy Spirit in the gospel, it was the fullest revelation of the glory of God. John chapter 1 verse 14 Advent and Christmas are just around the corner And John says The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory. Glory as though only begotten from the Father. What was this glory?
He was full of grace. Full of grace. and truth. That's his glory. 2 Corinthians 4, verse 6, Paul says, The glory of God is manifested to us in the Christ.
The Holy Spirit has shone in our hearts. To give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. Where? in the face of Christ. When you see Christ, you see the glory of God.
Perfectly revealed. I know this. Listen to the author of Hebrews chapter 1, verse 3. Jesus is the radiance of his glory and the exact representation of his nature. What is he saying?
Jesus is not the moon that reflects the glory of God. Yeah.
Jesus is the Son from whom the radiance of God's glory emanates. And Jesus is the exact. Representation of the invisible God. No man has ever seen, John says in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. But Christ has has explained him to us.
And so the glory of God radiates from Jesus' being. And so you can see how and why the first four solas lead to and culminate in this fifth solo, Solidale Glory, glory to God alone. Together, these five solas proclaim that salvation is based upon the final authority of Scripture. Scriptural own. Which teaches us that this great plan of salvation that is from God.
That is through God and to God. This whole thing is by grace alone. Through faith alone. In Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. We heard that in our scripture reading this morning from the book of Revelation.
And Paul says this in Ephesians chapter 3, verse 21: To him be the glory in the church. And in Christ Jesus to all generations forever. Endeavor. Amen. Let's pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your glory revealed to us in your Son. We are grateful that we are recipients who come to be gifted. And through this reception, being gifted, you're glorified. And we thank you for that. As we come to your table, powerfully by the power of your Holy Spirit.
Come witness to us through this visible gospel, this means of grace, Christ and all of his saving benefits. and touch us deep, deep into our hearts, into our bodies, into all of our being. With this good news. and glorify yourself as you serve us at your table. We pray.
In Jesus' name. Amen. John Fawnville sends his thanks for listening today. And before we wrap up, can I tell you about an encouraging book you might want to get soon? It's called Hope and Holiness: How the Gospel Enables and Empowers Sexual Purity.
You're not alone if you've tried to conquer sexual temptations and tried all the methods available. only to find yourself feeling defeated again. This book may be just what you're looking for. with his shepherding heart. John shows that the gospel, not practical steps or more self-discipline, is God's provision for the power to live a life of sexual purity.
and it's available to every Christian. What I like is the book is available in three convenient ways, paperback, audiobook, or Kindle. The links are in our podcast descriptions, or just search for Hope and Holiness by John Fawnville on Amazon to get a copy for you. And it's a wonderful book to go through with a small group. Him We Proclaim is a ministry of Paramount Church in Jacksonville, Florida.
You can find us at paramountchurch.com. We'll talk again soon.
