Do you have a question for a Reformed Baptist Christian?

[AmazingJesusIs]

Ask me questions about my beliefs.

I believe in:

TULIP
T - Total Depravity (Man is Dead in His Sins and Has No Say in His Salvation)
U - Unconditional Election (God Saves Off of No Previous Merit or Work)
L - Limited Atonement (Jesus Died Only for Those the Father Chose)
I - Irresistible Grace (Man Cannot Resist God's Salvific Grace if it is Imposed on Him)
P - Perseverance of the Saints (Once Saved, Always Saved; According To 1 John 2:19.)

The Five Solas
Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")
Sola fide ("by faith alone")
Sola gratia ("by grace alone")
Solo Christo ("through Christ alone")
Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")

[Lux]

I've heard about the Five Solas many times before, but I don't understand what they're about. What do Sola scriptura, Sola gratia and Sola fide entail, exactly?

[Slopeshoulder]

When you describe your beliefs, do you consider them to be faith affirmations, theological conclusions, or objective statements of fact?

And if the latter, when, why, and how did you come to put aside the main currents of secular and religious thought that have characterized the mainstream in the past several hundred years? I don't ask for proof, just explanation.

[McCulloch]

I've heard about the Five Solas many times before, but I don't understand what they're about. What do Sola scriptura, Sola gratia and Sola fide entail, exactly?

Sola scriptura is the teaching that the Bible is the only inspired and authoritative word of God, is the only source for Christian doctrine, and is accessible to all—that is, it is perspicuous and self-interpreting. That the Bible requires no interpretation outside of itself is in direct opposition to the teachings of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Coptic, Anglo-Catholic, and Roman Catholic traditions, which teach that the Bible can be authentically interpreted only by apostolic or sacred Tradition. Thus, those who truly believe in Sola scriptura, don't actually use the term Trinity, since it is nowhere found in scripture. Their churches have no archbishops or canons, being unbiblical designations.

Sola fide is the teaching that justification, being declared just by God, is received by faith only, without any need for good works. In short, there is nothing you can do to become justified before God. Belief is more important than actions.

Sola gratia is the teaching that salvation comes by divine grace or unmerited favor only, not as something merited by the sinner. This means that salvation is an unearned gift from God for Jesus' sake. God will bless those he will bless and curse those he will curse, based on His own sovereign will. No explanation is given why God does not bless more of us.

Solus Christus is the teaching that Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and that there is salvation through no other. There are two sides of this: firstly, that individual believers require no other mediator, priest, saints or angels. This aspect is sometimes described as the priesthood of all believers. The other side of this is that there is no way to God except through Christ. Jews, Muslims, pagans and atheists have no hope.

Soli Deo gloria is the teaching that all glory is to be due to God alone, since salvation is accomplished solely through His will and action. No praise or glory is due to any other good thing that anyone can or has done. We are all just dirt. Any possible good we have can only be attributable to God.

With material from Five Solas on Wikipedia

[Alfred Persson]

What determined their free will choice to eat of the tree?

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Gen 3:6 NKJ)

Just so you know, I believe in scientific conclusions, that is, an exception doesn't prove the rule, it disproves the rule.

They chose evil, yet had no fallen nature = agent caused free will independent of nature.

That means our fallen nature does not determine our choices just as Adam and Eve's unfallen nature didn't determine their choice to sin.

This is not to say we can actually "do" the good we choose, our fallen nature stops that:

19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. (Rom 7:19 NKJ)

But he could "will to do" good against his nature = libertarian free will.

But as I've just begun to research this, I'm here asking you for reasons why their free will wasn't free, in accordance with "total depravity."

You can consider me "hostile" to the view of "total depravity", but as a sola scripturaist, I can be swayed by scriptural proof.

[Autodidact]

What religion was your family and community of origin?

[Autodidact]

Do you believe that most people are doomed to eternal torment after death, while a minority will live forever in glory with God? If so, which category do you think you're in, and why?

[ThatGirlAgain]

Ask me questions about my beliefs.

I believe in:

TULIP
T - Total Depravity (Man is Dead in His Sins and Has No Say in His Salvation)
U - Unconditional Election (God Saves Off of No Previous Merit or Work)
L - Limited Atonement (Jesus Died Only for Those the Father Chose)
I - Irresistible Grace (Man Cannot Resist God's Salvific Grace if it is Imposed on Him)
P - Perseverance of the Saints (Once Saved, Always Saved; According To 1 John 2:19.)

The Five Solas
Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")
Sola fide ("by faith alone")
Sola gratia ("by grace alone")
Solo Christo ("through Christ alone")
Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")

How do you reconcile TULIP and the Solas with the explicit words of Jesus on how to gain eternal life?

Mark 10 (KJV)

17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?�

18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’�

20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.�

21Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

Notice several things.

1. Jesus makes no mention of faith or belief.
No Sola Fide

2. Jesus downplays his role in the process. (v 18)
No Solo Christo

3. Jesus states that actions are the way to eternal life. (v19)
No Total Depravity, No Unconditional Election, No Sola Fide

4. Jesus makes no mention of the ‘worship’ commandments
No Soli Deo gloria in the form of explicit worship requirements, although Jesus does call God holy. (v 18)

5. Jesus loves the man for having kept those particular commandments. (v 21)
None of the usual story about the man being a lying hypocrite and Jesus calling him out on it

6. The one thing the man lacked was again all about action. (v 21)
No Total Depravity, No Unconditional Election, No Sola Fide

7. Despite having been personally invited by God in the person of Jesus Christ, the man walks away. (v 22)
No Irresistible Grace

This passage appears in nearly the same wording in Matthew and Luke. This is the real deal straight from the Man’s mouth.

Please understand that I am not looking to debate you. I am just asking how you can reconcile these things.

[Alfred Persson]

What determined their free will choice to eat of the tree?

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Gen 3:6 NKJ)

Just so you know, I believe in scientific conclusions, that is, an exception doesn't prove the rule, it disproves the rule.

They chose evil, yet had no fallen nature = agent caused free will independent of nature.

That means our fallen nature does not determine our choices just as Adam and Eve's unfallen nature didn't determine their choice to sin.

This is not to say we can actually "do" the good we choose, our fallen nature stops that:

19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. (Rom 7:19 NKJ)

But he could "will to do" good against his nature = libertarian free will.

But as I've just begun to research this, I'm here asking you for reasons why their free will wasn't free, in accordance with "total depravity."

You can consider me "hostile" to the view of "total depravity", but as a sola scripturaist, I can be swayed by scriptural proof.

Never mind, Abraham's faith contradicts total depravity, God would not count it as righteousness if any part of it was depraved, as the theory insists, nor would God count it as righteousness to Abraham if it weren't his faith.

Unless you have a rebuttal, I've moved on. Have a nice day.

[Alfred Persson]

Ask me questions about my beliefs.

I believe in:

TULIP
T - Total Depravity (Man is Dead in His Sins and Has No Say in His Salvation)
U - Unconditional Election (God Saves Off of No Previous Merit or Work)
L - Limited Atonement (Jesus Died Only for Those the Father Chose)
I - Irresistible Grace (Man Cannot Resist God's Salvific Grace if it is Imposed on Him)
P - Perseverance of the Saints (Once Saved, Always Saved; According To 1 John 2:19.)

The Five Solas
Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")
Sola fide ("by faith alone")
Sola gratia ("by grace alone")
Solo Christo ("through Christ alone")
Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")

Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

I withdraw my question on total depravity, its clearly contradicted by Abraham's faith, which could not be depraved in any manner as God counted it as righteousness to Abraham, also proving it was his faith, and not God's being rewarded....all this in spite of his alleged "total depravity."

Have a nice day.

[Alfred Persson]

Ask me questions about my beliefs.

I believe in:

TULIP
T - Total Depravity (Man is Dead in His Sins and Has No Say in His Salvation)
U - Unconditional Election (God Saves Off of No Previous Merit or Work)
L - Limited Atonement (Jesus Died Only for Those the Father Chose)
I - Irresistible Grace (Man Cannot Resist God's Salvific Grace if it is Imposed on Him)
P - Perseverance of the Saints (Once Saved, Always Saved; According To 1 John 2:19.)

The Five Solas
Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")
Sola fide ("by faith alone")
Sola gratia ("by grace alone")
Solo Christo ("through Christ alone")
Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")

Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

God would not count as righteousness, what is depraved. Nor would scripture say "Abraham believed God", if it were someone else believing.


I withdraw my question on total depravity, its clearly contradicted by Abraham's faith, which could not be depraved in any manner as God counted it as righteousness to Abraham, also proving it was his faith, and not God's being rewarded....all this in spite of his alleged "total depravity."

Have a nice day.