Category: Daniel Burton

The idea of Sola Gratia depicts the notion that we are saved by grace, with grace being the unmerited favor of God. The history of the church, while giving verbal service to grace, heaped on the requirements for salvation and forgiveness of sins. Confessions booths turned into prescriptive actions in which people must do in order to be saved. Furthermore, this act echoed the actions of the Pharisees, who understood salvation through God alone would heap the requirements of holiness beyond what God had Himself directed, on the people. Even today, most Christians would openly say they hold to this belief but still struggle with the notion of grace and how our salvation is given. the idea of grace tends to be pervasive to the every day Christian attempting to either earn the favor of God or define ourselves by our own egotistical standards of holiness. Sola Gratia means we are saved by grace alone, not by our actions or anything we do. Salvation does not mean that man attempts to approach God but instead that God elected and returned mankind to Himself.

Scripture and the canonical 66 books of the Bible are the authoritative word of God. Throughout history, multiple sources of ruling have set themselves up as authoritative in the church, some legitimate and some not. At some points, the creeds sought to define and become the authoritative word of God. At another point, the papacy set itself up as on par with scripture. Now, as individualism and humanistic tendencies are on the rise, emotion has become the North Star of faith for Christians believing that the yearning of their heart produces the word of God within us. We hold to an optimistic and idealistic view of ourselves and mankind’s ability while ignoring the fact that “now we see in a mirror dimly… now [we] know in part.” (‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:12‬, ESV)

The word of God is in errant in all that it speaks and reveals. In short, if God’s word is inspired, having been breathed by God, and if God is n all knowing God who eagerly desires to reveal Himself to us, then God’s word must be inerrant. Our culture views tends to view truth as a subjective where anyone can interpret their own reality as they see fit. Yet, this disregards the inerrancy of scripture and the role of God as divine author of all creation. God defines truth as the divine omniscient one who understands how all things come together. Furthermore, as the authoritative truth that is inspired and revealed by God, scripture speaks as the authority over other all other authorities by merit of its inerrancy. Others may fail in their understanding, interoperation, and instruction, but scripture, when properly understood, will reveal truth to the readers as the Holy Spirit speaks in conjunction with scripture.

The Bible, as the word of God, is our final authority as Christians through its inspired, inerrant, and sufficient nature. All other church authorities must submit, without contradiction, to the word of God in the Holy Scriptures. This means that, for Sola Scriptura, the bible alone maintains this level of authority that cannot overturned by tradition, human authority, or any other man-made institution. At the core of Sola Scriptura comes the nature of scripture being breathed out by God. No other text, teaching, or authority that we have will hold up to the standards of scripture. We do not worship scripture, as we should only worship the Lord, but we do revere scripture as His own self revelation given to mankind for our benefit. Scripture provides the basis for truth, teaching, and training that no person, tradition, or structure can override its authority.

The Bible, as the word of God, is our final authority as Christians through its inspired, inerrant, and sufficient nature. All other church authorities must submit, without contradiction, to the word of God in the Holy Scriptures. This means that, for Sola Scriptura, the bible alone maintains this level of authority that cannot overturned by tradition, human authority, or any other man-made institution. At the core of Sola Scriptura comes the nature of scripture being breathed out by God. No other text, teaching, or authority that we have will hold up to the standards of scripture. We do not worship scripture, as we should only worship the Lord, but we do revere scripture as His own self revelation given to mankind for our benefit. Scripture provides the basis for truth, teaching, and training that no person, tradition, or structure can override its authority.

Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He serves as our prophet, priest, and King. While these are all things that Christ is in His nature, the work of Christ reveals His identity. Thus, we must look at the work of Christ to understand who He is and His purpose in coming. While the miracles, signs, and teachings of Christ are of supreme importance, the work of Jesus Christ on the cross remains the masterpiece of Jesus’ work. It is fair to say Jesus understood His mission long before He arrived as the God made flesh. Furthermore, we know the mental anguish that Christ endured in the events leading up to the cross. Jesus’ self sacrifice on the cross served as the payment for the sins of mankind as our penal substitution displaying the nature of Christ as fully God and fully man. Furthermore, Christ and Christ alone the all sufficient sacrifice as our perfect Prophet, Priest, and King.

Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He serves as our prophet, priest, and King. While these are all things that Christ is in His nature, the work of Christ reveals His identity. Thus, we must look at the work of Christ to understand who He is and His purpose in coming. While the miracles, signs, and teachings of Christ are of supreme importance, the work of Jesus Christ on the cross remains the masterpiece of Jesus’ work. It is fair to say Jesus understood His mission long before He arrived as the God made flesh. Furthermore, we know the mental anguish that Christ endured in the events leading up to the cross. Jesus’ self sacrifice on the cross served as the payment for the sins of mankind as our penal substitution displaying the nature of Christ as fully God and fully man. Furthermore, Christ and Christ alone the all sufficient sacrifice as our perfect Prophet, Priest, and King.