Distinctives

We affirm the five “sola” statements as associated with the Protestant Reformation.

• Sola Gratia (Grace Alone): We affirm that salvation is all of grace, whereby the Holy Spirit regenerates and frees our sin-bound hearts, drawing and enabling us to cast ourselves in faith upon Christ the savior.

  • John 3:3 Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

• Sola Fide (Faith Alone): We affirm that the only way to be reconciled to God and saved from our lost condition is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Through faith, the righteousness of Christ is imputed (credited) to us and we are justified (declared righteous) by God. Only the perfect righteousness of Christ can satisfy God’s perfect justice and requirement for eternal life.

  • Romans 3:28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

  • Romans 4:16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace.

• Solus Christus (Christ Alone): We affirm that our salvation is solely upon the merit of Christ as our representative. Christ took upon himself a human nature so that he might accomplish salvation for us humans. Christ earned eternal life with God by his life of in perfect obedience to the law of God. He also paid in full the debt that we owed to God, through his substitutionary curse-bearing death on the cross.

  • Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law.

  • Phil 3:7-9 But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.

  • Col 2:14 Having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

  • Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”

• Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone): We affirm the Scriptures, as contained in the 66 books of the Bible, to be the sole source of divine revelation for the church today and authority for the Christian life. “The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory and man’s salvation, faith, and life is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture.” (1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, Ch1.6.)

  • 2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

  • 2 Peter 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

• Soli Deo Gloria (For God’s Glory Alone): We affirm that the purpose of our salvation is ultimately for the glory of God alone. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed in Scripture alone, for the glory of God alone. Our duty is to “make a name” for the Lord throughout the earth through our God-honoring lives of obedience to his commands, and declaring his holiness, sovereignty, goodness, and grace to the world.

  • 1 Peter 1:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

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