What it means to be Christian: Solus Christus

One of the single greatest events in the history of the Western world happened over 500 years ago on October 31, 1517, when a monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church.

During this time, the Roman Catholic Church sold indulgences to people to help loved ones escape Purgatory. In response, Luther protested the church promising to remit the sins of deceased individuals based on generous donations from those still living. His 95 Theses kickstarted the Reformation, which quite literally changed history.

The Reformation had many facets, and to simplify it into one, coherent theological system would be a fool's errand. However, much agreement formed the basis of all truly Protestant theology henceforward, which came to be known as the five solas. 

I want to consider the implications of one of these principles to see how Scripture shapes our understanding of what it means to be a Christian — solus Christus, Christ alone.

The period before the Reformation, the Middle Ages, was a time of great death and devastation. From catastrophic famines to deadly diseases, the reality of death was palpable. The church understandably sought to address fears about death and feelings of guilt, and it was a frequent topic of preaching.

The effect of such preaching about death produced profound fear and guilt in the hearers, who were prepared to go to extreme lengths to guarantee entrance into heaven or, at least, minimize their time spent in Purgatory. Additionally, if people still felt their sins were too great for God to forgive, and if they had enough money, they could buy masses to be said for them after their death.

In this context, it is no wonder Martin Luther found himself overwhelmed with fear and guilt as he contemplated God’s holiness and wrath. However, Luther eventually saw a severe and heretical problem within Roman Catholicism. This system of salvation brought all glory to man. It gave the rich and wise a decided advantage in attaining salvation.

The Roman Catholic system, then and now, deprived God of His glory because this salvation was based on a person’s achievements, property, or wisdom. However, as Luther and the Reformers eventually discovered, true salvation is grounded on only one person, the Lord Jesus Christ.

One of the clearest places in Scripture we see this teaching of Christ alone is in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Paul argues that God planned salvation so only Jesus Christ receives any glory for it because He is the only one who contributes to it. Additionally, Paul contrasts human boasting with boasting in Christ.

The problem is, though, we always want to drag something of our own into our salvation. We are content to let Christ accomplish 99% of our salvation, but we must have that one thing we do to say, “See, I did my part.” Paul will have none of that mindset, so he gives three truths to rest in Christ alone for salvation.

First, we need to understand our calling (verse 26).

The Corinthian Christians were nothing special in the eyes of the world. Paul basically tells these Christians they were considered the marginal, the outsiders, the poor, the weak, and the foolish. The point of God’s calling is that we were nothing apart from the Lord.

Now, there may be some mighty, noble, or wise people who become Christians, but this doesn’t generally happen. Jesus’ own disciples prove this phenomenon. Our Lord called common, uneducated men — despised and worthless in the world’s sight — to follow Him. If we think about our own calling from the Lord, we also see that this reality is true. We came to God as beggars with nothing to offer Him.

The problem is, however, that everybody wants to be a somebody, and we often try to bring that worldly desire into Christianity. One of the surest signs that a Christian institution or church is going to compromise (and eventually collapse) is when it begins to care what the world thinks of it, when it wants to be something in the world’s eyes, when it wants the media to speak well of it, or when it wants power in the secular world apart from the influence of the simple Gospel.

Second, we must understand God’s choice (verses 27-29).

When God devised His plan of salvation, He chose things to accomplish His design that the world considers foolish and weak — a theme running throughout Scripture. God chose the weakest nation to be His people in Israel (Deuteronomy 7:7). He chose the youngest brother who was left in the fields with the sheep to be the king of Israel (David). Jesus Himself was born to a poor family, and He chose the nobodies of society to be His disciples.

When Paul tells the Corinthians that God has chosen the foolish, the weak, and the despised, he is only testifying to what the Lord has been doing all along. God’s choice is always designed to bring us to the end of ourselves so we will seek refuge nowhere but in Christ. Specifically, God has chosen people without things the world treasures to show no earthly riches or abilities matter before Him. We will have nothing of our own to boast in when we stand before the Lord.

This worldly boasting, though, was happening during the Reformation. People expected to be accepted by God because they gave money, bought indulgences, had masses said for them post-mortem, or did works of absolution. However, the Lord has sovereignly ruled out all such claims people might try to make on Him. God decided to choose people who had nothing to boast about to show He will not tolerate boasting in His presence.

Finally, we need to understand Christ’s significance (verse 30).

The Lord has given Christians understanding of His wisdom by working in us so that we believe the gospel and through faith are united with Christ. In God’s wisdom, Christ alone, is our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; He is our total salvation!

Righteousness, sanctification, and redemption are everything we need to inherit eternal life. Righteousness satisfies God’s justice and allows us to inherit His promises. Sanctification is holiness so that we become the people God created us to be to do His will and please Him. And redemption is that final act of resurrection when God gives us the final transformation we long for, when we are in bodies that are immortal and have the inherent power of an indestructible life.

Because of God’s choice and work, believers are in Christ, who is everything we need for salvation, eternal life, and wisdom. Jesus Christ is all we need for everything that matters. And that’s why Paul says, “so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord’” (verse 31).

The Christian’s only boast is Jesus. When we stand before God, the only thing that will matter is if Christ has become for us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

It is important to examine our hearts to ask ourselves how we might be tempted to adopt the world’s system of values into our understanding of the Gospel, our teaching and preaching of the Gospel, and our application of the implications of the Gospel. Apart from Christ, we ourselves are nothing, no matter what we or the world might think we are. In Christ, though, we are sons and daughters of God by His doing because of Jesus’ work alone.

Solus Christus. Christ alone. May it be a banner that flies over every Bible-believing church, and over each of our lives individually.