Lutheran Confessions & Adiaphora

Have your ‘5 Solas’ paper available for notes.

Martin Luther knew that once he made the Bible available to the public, he would need to help them understand what they read. He wanted to make sure people understood how to make sense of Scripture, their faith, and how to be better theologians. Just because we feel strongly about something doesn’t mean that we are right. He wanted to help people—AND other teachers of faith—learn how to interpret the Word of God in light of their lives. He boiled Christianity down to three essential things.

Five Solas 

• Sola Scriptura—Scripture Alone (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

• Read: “I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the council, because it is clear that they have fallen into error and even into inconsistency with themselves. If, then, I am not convinced by proof from Holy Scripture, or by cogent reasons, if I am not satisfied by the very text I have cited, and if my judgment is not in this way brought into subjection to God's word, I neither can nor will retract anything; for it cannot be either safe or honest for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.” (Luther’s final statement when asked to take back what he had written at the Diet of Worms, January, 1521)

• Even though all Scripture is inspired by God, does that make all Scripture equally important? Why or why not?

• Solus Christus—Christ Alone (1 Timothy 2:5)

• Read John 14:1-7 

• If Jesus is The Way, what do you think happens to those who don’t believe—in Jesus, or in the crucifixion, or in the resurrection?

• Sola Gratia—Grace Alone (Ephesians 2:8-10)

• Read John 1:1-18

• If grace is a gift, why do we work so hard to be good?

• Sola Fide—Faith Alone (Galatians 3:11)

• Read Matthew 8:23-27

• Is it okay to have doubts? Why or why not?

• Soli Deo Gloria—To God Alone Be the Glory (1 Peter 4:11)

• Read 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

• Everything we do should be for God’s glory—to lift up God and point to God as the source of goodness and the heart of our faith. Is this difficult or easy to do? Why?