solus christus

“You all sure do talk a lot about Jesus.”

We Lutherans hear this line from time to time, and although meant as a criticism, we actually take it as a compliment. The assumption behind the statement speaks to a problem in much of modern American Christianity - not enough talk about Jesus! Can you ever have too much Jesus? Impossible! The fact is that our problems are usually caused because we are focusing our hearts and minds on everything else rather than fixing them on Jesus.

Many people today find themselves lost, empty, and hopeless when they don't “feel” something in their hearts. When they look at their lives, they see little evidence that "proves" to them that God loves them. So what should Christians do when they don't see progress in their desire to love God more? Where should you turn when you find yourself making the same mistakes, despite all your best efforts? Look to Jesus. Cling to Christ. Set your eyes upon the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ.

He's always there in His Word and Sacraments, in the precious Gospel that is outside of us. There in the good news Gospel that never depends on how you feel or what you think. Your emotions and thoughts will ebb and flow from one day to the next. But Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Looking inside ourselves we see our sins, doubts, fears, worries, and concerns. But when we confess that sin, we look outside of ourselves to the light of Christ, which dispels the darkness. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

So fix your eyes on Jesus. Focus on Him. Look to His cross and empty tomb. "Nothing in my hands I bring, only to thy cross I cling." You will always be disappointed if you choose to look inside yourself for comfort or security. You will always be let down if you put your hope and trust in other human beings, no matter how close they are to you. You will always be disappointed if you put your hope and security in your job, your marriage, an organization, or an institution.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal. 2)

That's the secret of the Christian life. That's the key to being a good news person in a bad news world. Christ crucified and risen for you and for me. It’s all about Jesus. He is the One who gave Himself up for you. He is the One who died and rose again for you. He is the One who loves you with an eternal and everlasting love. He has purchased and won you from sin, death and the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death. Why? So that you may be His own, and live under Him, in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness.

It’s still all about Jesus. Solus Christus. Christ Alone.

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sola scriptura

The Lutheran Confessions state that the Scriptures alone are the only rule and norm for faith and life. The Latin expression "sola scriptura" (scripture alone) was coined by reformers like Martin Luther and refers to the authority of the Holy Scriptures to serve as the sole norm for all that is taught and confessed in the church.

In numerous places the Scriptures themselves claim authority as the inspired Word of God. Paul writes in 2 Tim. 3:16 that "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness," The Apostle Peter also declares that "no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy ever came about by the impulse of man, but men moved along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God" (2 Pet. 1:20-21).

Acceptance of the Bible as the sole authority for teaching comes not from rational arguments or human traditions, but a conviction produced by the Holy Spirit in the human heart. It is a matter of faith worked by the Holy Spirit through the Means of Grace and the Scriptures themselves.

As the Holy Spirit reveals this to us, we are renewed, refreshed, and reformed by the power of God's Word, as we come to realize that it's time for us to get "Back to the Bible".

The Reformers were right. Verbum Dei Manet Aeternum - The Word of the Lord endures forever.

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sola fide

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see."  - Hebrews 11

To have faith means to believe. It means to place your trust, your confidence, and your hope in someone or something greater than yourself.

But faith is only as good as the object in which it is placed. If we put our faith in earthly people or things, sooner or later we are going to be let down. We live in a fallen world, full of sinful people and broken things, and in the end they are unable to deliver the goods, to give us what we are all looking for, something to believe in.

So don't put your faith in earthly people or things - and for that matter don't even put your faith in your own faith!

There is only One in whom we can fully trust to have faith in and believe. There is only One Who always keeps His promises and in Whom we can place our hope. There is only One Who is worthy of all of our worship, honor, and praise. There is only One in whom there is forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation for all believe. There is only one way to heaven, and it is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the World.

Believe in Him, have faith in Him, put your trust in Him, and you will be saved.

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sola gratia

By ourselves we are nothing. But by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we are something and have everything.

That’s because salvation is only by God's grace, a free gift from God through faith in Christ Jesus to all who believe. God does it all - we're just along for the ride. We can't do any of it on our own. If you think about it, our only real role in God raising us from the dead is ... being dead! (which really isn’t much of an accomplishment at all.)

Being saved by grace through faith means believing in Jesus as your Savior, trusting in His death and resurrection, and receiving His forgiveness and salvation through belief and baptism. It's as easy as that.

But that's a little too easy for some. For them the grace of God is unimaginable, because it's hard to believe that you can get something for nothing in this life. But God's Grace is different than what the world offers. It's getting what you don't deserve. It's God's riches at Christ's expense. It's your filthy rags in exchange for Christ's robe of righteousness. It's like Christmas - Jesus has the birthday, but we get all the gifts!

Sound too good to be true? Yes it does. But in fact, it is the greatest truth the world has ever known.

"By grace you are saved, through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, so no one can boast." (Romans 2:8)

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