The Protestant Reformation was based on 5 principles, known as 5 suns, in this series we will study the meaning of each one, we will continue today with the ‘Sola Fide’, or ‘Only faith’:
In 1647, a group of retired pastors and theologians gathered at Westminster Abbey in London produced a set of documents now known as the Westminster Standards, which include the Confession of Faith, the Major Catechism and the Brief Catechism. Teaching to create a unified Reformed Church in the British Isles. In question and answer 33 of the Brief Catechism, summarize one of the main pillars of the reformed tradition:
- What is justification? Justification is an act of God’s free grace.
- By which he forgives all our sins and accepts us as righteous before him.
- Only by the righteousness of Christ who is imputed to us and received only by faith.
Does this brief statement include the idea that sinners are justified alone?Just out of faith. But what does trust itself mean?Before delving into its meaning, a little historical context is critical to understanding its importance. A person can only really appreciate a bright light on a background of darkness.
A background of darkness
When Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the door of the church of Wittenberg Castle in 1517, it took some time for the implications of his action to reverberate throughout history. declared that sinners are declared righteous in the eyes of God, not on the basis of their own good deeds, but only by faith, only in Christ and only by the grace of God. ? single fide, solus Christus esola gratia. The Roman Catholic Church was forced to respond, and she did so at the famous Council of Trent, when she made a series of statements on the doctrine of justification at its sixth session on January 13, 1547.
Among the many points that Rome presented, several of them key statements, the main ones were: (1) that sinners are justified by their baptism, (2) that justification is by faith in Christ and the good works of a person, (3) that sinners are not justified solely by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, and (4) that a person may lose his position of justification?
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By: Dr. J. V. Fesko. © 2013 Ligonier. Original Ministries: Faith Alone.
This article is part of the November 2012 edition of Tabletalk magazine.
Translation: Isabela Siqueira. Revision: Renata do Esperito Santo. © 2013 Faithful Ministérium. All rights reserved. Website: MinistryFiel. com. br. Original: Sola Fide?5 Series soles (3/5).
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