More than 500 years ago, a movement called the Reformation began, changing the course of church history. At the heart of the Reformation wasn’t just a desire to change the church; it was a desire to return to the truth of God’s Word and recover the good news of the gospel.

At the center of that message are five simple statements that still shape how we understand salvation today.

They’re called the Five Solas, and you can download our free five-day study to learn more!

But before we get into what these statements mean . . . let’s take a step back and look at why they mattered in the first place.

What Was the Reformation?

In the early 1500s, many church teachings and practices had drifted away from the biblical message of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Many ordinary people had limited access to Scripture. The Bible was largely available only in Latin, so most people couldn’t study God’s Word for themselves. They had to rely on what they were told.

In 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther challenged several of these teachings that had drifted from biblical principles. He wrote his Ninety-Five Theses, a series of statements questioning the church’s practices, and is traditionally said to have posted them on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on October 31.

Luther’s arguments spread throughout Europe, helped along by the printing press. Other Reformers, including John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, and William Tyndale, also worked to bring people back to Scripture and the biblical teaching that salvation is a gift of God, received through faith in Jesus Christ rather than earned through human effort.

Tyndale translated the Bible into English so ordinary people could read God’s Word for themselves. His commitment to making Scripture accessible ultimately cost him his life.

This movement became known as the Protestant Reformation. And while the Reformers didn’t agree on every theological question, the Five Solas summarize several central convictions that emerged from the Reformation.

Let’s briefly look at each one together, and if you want to study this topic more, download our FREE five-day study on the Five Solas here!

Sola Scriptura

Sola Scriptura means “Scripture alone.” It teaches that the Bible is our final authority for what we believe and how we live as followers of Christ.

Human wisdom, church traditions, and the teachings of leaders can all have a place in our lives, but they must be tested against the truth of God’s Word. No human authority stands above Scripture!

In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul reminds Timothy that all Scripture is God-breathed and equips God’s people for every good work.

This is one reason studying the Bible for ourselves matters so much. We don’t want to build our faith on something simply because we’ve always heard it, because someone we admire believes it, or because it sounds good.

We want to know what God has actually said!

Sola Fide

Sola Fide means “faith alone.” We are justified, or declared righteous before God, through faith in Jesus Christ, not by earning His favor through good works.

Our good works matter. Obedience matters. The way we love and serve others matters. Still, these things are not the foundation of our salvation.

We don’t obey God to earn His love. We respond to Him in obedience because of the grace He has already shown us in Christ.

Faith means trusting in Jesus and His finished work rather than relying on our own efforts to make ourselves right with God.

Sola Gratia

Sola Gratia means “grace alone.” Salvation is a gift from God, not something we can earn or deserve.

Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us that we are saved by grace through faith. Even our salvation is not a reason to boast. It is a gift rooted in God’s kindness toward us.

Think about that for a moment . . . we don’t clean ourselves up enough to make God love us. We don’t accumulate enough good deeds to deserve forgiveness. We come to Him because of His grace.

And that grace changes how we live.

Instead of striving to earn what we could never achieve on our own, we can live with gratitude for what God has freely given us!

Solus Christus

Solus Christus means “Christ alone.” Jesus is the only way to the Father and the only Savior who can reconcile us to God.

Jesus doesn’t just “show” us a way to live. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Our hope isn’t ultimately in a religious tradition, a spiritual leader, or our own ability to follow the right rules. Our hope is in the person and work of Jesus Christ: His perfect life, His sacrificial death, and His resurrection.

Everything about our salvation rests on Him!

Soli Deo Gloria

Soli Deo Gloria means “to the glory of God alone.” Since salvation begins with God, is accomplished through Christ, and is received by grace through faith, the glory belongs to Him.

Romans 11:36 reminds us that all things are from God, through God, and to God. He is the source and purpose of all things.

This truth changes the way we see our lives. Our work, relationships, service, worship, and everyday decisions can all become opportunities to honor the Lord. We don’t live for our own recognition or to build a name for ourselves. We live in response to who God is and what He has done!

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Why We Still Celebrate Reformation Day

October 31, 1517, is traditionally remembered as the beginning of the Reformation because of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses. Each year, Reformation Day gives us an opportunity to remember the men and women who stood for biblical truth, sometimes at great personal cost.

But this day is about more than remembering church history . . . it reminds us that the gospel is worth standing for, that God’s Word is worth studying, and that salvation is not something we can earn. It is a gift received through faith in Jesus Christ.

So this Reformation Day, take some time to open your Bible.

Read the passages for yourself.

Ask questions.

Dig deeper.

And thank God for His faithfulness in preserving His Word and reminding His people, again and again, of the good news at the heart of our faith.

Salvation is by grace, through faith, in Christ, according to Scripture, for the glory of God alone.

Learn more about the Five Solas through our FREE five-day study, or shop the Solas collection here.