The Truth About Jesus: "Solus Christus"

Today we continue our look at “The Five Solas,” the five truths taught since the early church that constitute the unique claims of Christianity regarding the nature and purpose of salvation. One of these five basic truths is Solus Christus, which in Latin literally means, “through Christ alone,” meaning that salvation is available to humanity only through the person and work of Jesus Christ.

The doctrine of Solus Christus forces us to think clearly and logically about the biblical claims of Christ. At the heart of Christ’s claims are His words recorded in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth and the life. Nobody comes to the Father except through Me.” In other words, Jesus declared Himself to be not just ONE way to heaven, but that He was and is the ONLY way to heaven.

Oddly enough, some are offended by this claim. “How dare this Jesus make such a statement?” some say indignantly. “That’s not what He really meant” others maintain, as they do some interpretive chicanery trying to circumvent the plain evidence of Holy Scripture.

It’s like this. Humanity is drowning in a sea of our own sin, and Jesus has jumped in to save us, calling out as He does so, “Trust Me. I’m your only hope.” How tragic that so many of the drowning respond to Him, “How dare You claim to be my only hope?!” even as they sink under the everlasting waves of their own perdition.

And so, in an attempt to minimize Jesus’ claim to be the only way to heaven, some call Him a great moral teacher or a good spiritual example for humanity.

What nonsense! To say that Jesus was just a great teacher, when He claimed to be the Son of God and the only Savior of humanity, is just sloppy thinking. In the face of Jesus’ claim, only the following responses make sense: either His claim was false or it was true.

If His claim was false, He would be a deluded fool or the devil in disguise, but certainly not a great teacher or spiritual example. But, if Jesus’ claim is true, we should worship and trust Him with our whole hearts, for He alone is our hope of salvation.

Deride Him as a fool, denounce Him as a demon, or trust Him as Your Savior; but don’t try to pass off some silliness about His being merely a teacher or example. Humanity’s need for a Savior and Christ’s claim to be the only Savior available are too serious to treat with such flawed thinking. The truth is that God sent His Son as humanity’s only source of salvation: Solus Christus.

Some say it’s offensive to think that He claimed to be the only way to heaven. I say it’s an undeserved miracle of God’s grace that He has offered us any way to heaven at all.

What do you say?

Next week: “Sola Gratia,” only by grace.