Sola Gratia
Third, we stand on the doctrine of Grace Alone…
Sola Gratia Defined
“Our salvation is not earned in any part; it is the free gift of God from start to finish.”
The Bible unequivocally asserts…
God does not owe salvation to anyone, nor does he owe anything else!
God’s decision to save anyone at all is absolutely free and gracious.
God would not be unjust if he were to save no one
Salvation cannot be earned or merited by anyone—not even in part!!
Salvation is a supernatural work from start to finish; thus, we should put no faith or trust in our own works or efforts to secure our own salvation.
Salvation is not in any respect a human work or a natural work
Due to our fallenness, even our best efforts are polluted with sin and cannot merit salvation. Therefore it is impossible for anyone to supplement the work of Christ for his or her salvation.
We affirm that Salvation does not involve humans co-operating with God— salvation is monergistic! We further affirm that this salvific monergistic work is Trinitarian. Scripture makes it clear that concerning salvation-God the Father appoints those whom he wills, Jesus Christ the Son accomplishes redemption for those who are appointed by the Father, and the Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to those same individuals (Acts 13:48; Ephesians 1:3-14). It is for this reason that the apostle Paul bursts forth in apostolic adulation toward God using the phrase, “to the praise of His glorious grace!”(Eph. 1:6,12,14)
It is because of these truths that we confess and affirm salvation is by the grace of God alone!!
Sola definitions taken from Tiffin’s professor of Systematic Theology, Dr. James Anderson of Reformed Theological Seminary
Martin Luther as quoted Heiko Oberman, “Luther: Man between God and the Devil”
Definition of Penal Substitution taken from “Pierced for Our Transgressions” p. 103