Sola Gratia
Midweek Advent 1 2016
There was one word that caused the Lutheran reformers more trouble than any other word – a little Latin word – “sola” it means alone or only. The word came into English as “solo” – when you’re the only one singing or flying an airplane – you are solo – alone.
For our midweek Advent and Christmas services this year we are going to meditate on that word from the Lutheran reformation – sola – alone. Depending on who is counting there are three, four, or five such “solas.” Sola Gratia – grace alone; Sola Fide – faith alone; Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone. Solus Christos – Christ alone. And Soli Deo Gloria – To God alone be the glory. Today our sola is “sola gratia” – grace alone.
Why did the word “sola” cause so much trouble to the Lutheran reformers? Because “sola” always leaves someone out. “Sola” is exclusive language. For example if I confess that I believe marriage can “only” be a between a man and a woman I will offend people who believe there are other valid marriages. If I say that Jesus Christ is the only true God I have excluded a multitude of other gods in which people believe and hope for salvation.
Sola gratia – by grace alone, leaves us out of accomplishing our salvation. When the Lutheran Reformers confessed that we are saved by grace alone – they were confessing that we take no active part in our salvation. We cannot earn it, merit it, or deserve it.
Why are we excluded? Because according to God’s Word “every intention of the thoughts of our hearts is only evil continually.” (Gen 6:5) Why? Because you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked. … We were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Eph 2:1, 3) We are helpless to save ourselves of our sin – all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Grace alone means you can’t and don’t please God. It’s not in you to make Him happy because what is in you is sin. There is nothing you can do to reverse your situation because sin leaves you spiritually dead and dead people can’t do anything – that’s the clear and offensive diagnoses of God’s Word. It’s what He said of the entire world in the days of Noah. It’s what He said through the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians. It’s what He says to us.
Alone is an offensive word. It excludes us from God’s pleasure because of our sin. Grace is a joyous word. It includes us in God’s favor because of Christ. Grace means there is something outside of us that causes God to love us. Grace means there is something in God’s heart and will that moves Him to do for us what we do not deserve – He forgives our sins in Christ. He gives Jesus to die in our place. That is not our doing. It’s not something we cause. It is His doing – as a gift – His grace alone.
Do you know a way that you can spot the grace of God in Scripture? Look for the little word “but.” We heard that word in the reading from Genesis. The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals, and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. It was there again in the second reading, “We were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.” “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, ESV)
The whole course of life changes because of God. We are sinners deserving God’s wrath, but He gives us forgiveness. We are dead, but God makes us alive in Christ. We should die, but God sends Jesus in our place. This is grace. It is God’s work which He does. It is God’s gift which He freely gives you.
God chose Noah, a sinful man, to build an ark and save mankind so that His Son Jesus might finally come into the world and save all sinners.
God chose Mary of Nazareth, a sinner, to conceive His Son in her womb, so that we could behold the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth and that in His flesh Jesus might bear our sins and offer Himself to suffer the wrath of God.
God chose Paul who was a murderer and blasphemer to be an apostle and preach Christ crucified to a sinful and dying world. He gave Paul His Holy Spirit that Paul might pen God’s own Word that we might receive grace upon grace – forgiveness of our sins, everlasting life, and the certain hope of the resurrection which Christ Jesus won for us.
God chose to not treat you as you deserve, but to give His Son for you at the cross, and to give you the gifts which Christ won for you there – not judgment, but forgiveness of sins, not death, but life, not the grave, but the resurrection. Where His Word is preached truthfully and His Sacraments given rightly – His grace is given to you.
While alone is an offensive word, grace is an assuring word, a certain word. Your forgiveness, your place in God’s Kingdom, your place as God’s child, is entirely God’s doing and is completely His gift. It is as certain as Christ being born of Mary, as His baptism in the Jordan, as His death on the cross, and His resurrection on the third day. All the work of your salvation was accomplished in Christ and all of it is given to you by God – that’s grace alone — the first of the solas for our Advent meditation. You are saved by grace alone in the name of Jesus. Amen.