All the Solas of the Reformation are inextricably linked: the Scriptures infallibly and emphatically tell us (Sola Scriptura) that salvation is by faith alone (Sola Fide), which is given to us as an unwarranted gift of God by His grace (Sola Gratia), afforded to us only by the finished work of Christ (Solus Christus), so that all the praise, honor, and glory goes to God and to God alone (Soli Deo Gloria).
Solus Christus: Our All-in-All
“My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior.” John Newton on his deathbed
“What the sun is to the day, what the moon is to the night, what the dew is to the flower, such is Jesus Christ to us. What bread is to the hungry, clothes to the naked, the shadow of a great rock to the traveler in a weary land, such is Jesus Christ to us. What the husband is to his spouse, what the head is to the body, such is Jesus Christ to us.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon
- “What do you think about the Christ?” (Matt. 22:42)
- If you are without Christ, you are without God. (Eph. 2:12; John 14:6)
- Christ is our all in all (Eph. 1:23; Col. 3:11)
- Christ is our all-sufficient Shepherd. (Heb. 13:20)
- Christ is our all-sufficient Prophet, our teacher, and the self-discloser of the invisible God (John 1:9, 18; 8:26; 14:9; 17:8).
- Christ is the pure and all-sufficient Priest and final Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:23–28, 10:11–14).
- Christ now reigns as our all-sufficient King (Eph. 1:10; Col. 1:20).
- Christ is our all-sufficient Friend (Matt. 11:19; Luke 7:34).
- The end of the Gospel is holiness and happiness in Christ (Rev. 19:6–10)
- To live is Christ. (Phil. 1:21)
- The precious riches of Christ are unsearchable. (Eph. 3:8; 1 Pet. 2:4–7)
- Christ is also our Lord, our Life, our Way, our End, our Head, our Root, our Meat, our Drink, our Portion, our Strength, our Hope, our Foundation, our Sun, our Shield, our Lawgiver, our Exemplar, our Groom, and our Everlasting Forerunner in Faith.
- He is an endless ocean in breadth, length, height, and depth of unsearchable love (Eph. 3:18–19)
Going Deeper #4
Life in Christ
“This is really all that I could ever wish for my dear friends, that you might grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. To know Him, is the shortest description of true grace; to know Him better, is the surest mark of growth in grace; to know Him perfectly, is eternal life” John Newton
There are more than 350 names and titles of Christ found in the Bible—names that help us comprehend the fullness of His glory and the completeness of His redemption. Just in the New Testament we are told that He is: the Chief Cornerstone: (Ephesians 2:20), the Firstborn Over All Creation: (Colossians 1:15), the Head of the Church: (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; 5:23), the Holy One: (Acts 3:14; Psalm 16:10), the Judge: (Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:8), the King of kings and Lord of lords: (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16), the Light of the World: (John 8:12), the Son of God: (Luke 1:35; John 1:49), the Son of man: (John 5:27; Daniel 7:13-14; Mark 14:63), the Word: (John 1:1; 1 John 5:7-8), the Word of God: (Revelation 19:12-13), the Word of Life: (1 John 1:1), the Alpha and Omega: (Revelation 1:8; 22:13), Emmanuel: (Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23), the I Am: (John 8:58, with Exodus 3:14), the Lord of All: (Acts 10:36), the True God: (1 John 5:20), the Author and Perfecter of our Faith: (Hebrews 12:2), the Bread of Life: (John 6:35; 6:48), the Bridegroom: (Matthew 9:15), the Deliverer: (Romans 11:26), the Good Shepherd: (John 10:11,14) , the High Priest: (Hebrews 2:17), the Lamb of God: (John 1:29), the Mediator: (1 Timothy 2:5), the Rock: (1 Corinthians 10:4), the Resurrection and Life: (John 11:25), the Savior: (Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:11), the True Vine: (John 15:1), the Way, Truth, Life: (John 14:6).
In very practical terms, what this means is that Jesus provides for us:
- Forgiveness: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
- Redemption: “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
- Righteousness: “Christ became for us wisdom from God–and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”
- Peace with God: “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
- The Gift of the Spirit: “In Christ also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance.”
- Regeneration: “The kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”
- Glorification: “Our inheritance is incorruptible and undefiled and does not fade away, reserved in heaven which we have through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
For Further Reading and Study:
Biblical Authority After Babel by Kevin Vanhoozer
The Work of Christ by R.C. Sproul
All of Grace by C.H. Spurgeon