United, Yet Alone

“Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before Him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” —Romans 4:16-17 

We have all heard that salvation is by “grace alone,” and also by “faith alone,” yet also in “Christ alone,” as well as through “Scripture alone,” and finally for “God’s glory alone.”  Now, one may wonder that, if they are all together and speaking of the same thing, then how can they be alone?  That’s a fair question.  The answer to that is that each one speaks of a certain aspect of true Biblical Christianity: 

1.  Scripture alone.  No traditions, feelings or intuitions are used as man’s guide.  The Scriptures contained in the Old and New Testament are the only sufficient, certain, and infallible standard to guide us in how we may glorify God and enjoy Him. 

2.  God’s glory alone.  All life and all of life is to be lived for the glory of God alone because He is sovereign Potentate over all.  In other words, every creature of God, and the individual life lived out by that creature, was designed to give God alone glory as King. 

3.  Christ alone.  Salvation comes by Christ’s finished work on the Cross alone; and it is He alone that is the only Mediator between man and God. 

4.  Grace alone.  Because sinful man is radically depraved, possessing a fallen nature, there is nothing in Him that is good; and therefore, he cannot merit or assist salvation.  Every area of life is stained with sin and, therefore, falls short of giving God glory.  Salvation is completely and entirely given by God’s free and sovereign grace. 

5.  Faith alone.  When God saves a soul, that soul is justified by faith alone, trusting unto the work that Christ has done to secure salvation.  It is to this truth we will speak that we will examine in our next article. 

Therefore, we conclude and rightly proclaim that salvation is wrought by God’s free and sovereign grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, for God’s glory alone.