Wednesday

Solo Fide!


Recently during a pastor and pastor’s wife retreat, my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful and much needed get away filled with refreshing, relaxation, respite, instruction, encouragement, laughter and very delicious food!  During one evening session, there was entertainment…a master illusionist (MI for short), who was skilled in the art of deceiving others for show.  Normally I do not care for this type of entertainment, I would prefer the opera like gatherings such as Handel’s Messiah or some other form of art such as a ballet, music concert, etc.
But as I begin to watch him, I became intrigued.  Not so much at what he was doing but HOW he did it.  Not so much why he did a trick but WHERE the precise timing of his hands where and WHEN he timed distractions throughout each illusion .

As a spectator, my new assignment along with other members in the audience quickly shifted from sitting back and being entertained to how we can discern and catch the sleight of hands in the process. 
One thing that fascinated me about this MI was that it was so incredibly easy for him to deceive us…over and over and over again with the same simple set of rules he was very skilled in: human manipulation, reading of body language and studying of human behavior.  Even though we all knew we were being deceived…no one could quite figure out how it was done.


Christ, the greatest Gift
At the end of this entertainment the MI, received a standing ovation, filled with applause, awe, wonderment and puzzlement…I walked away with this thought… Spiritually speaking, this is what is happening currently all over the world. Satan the great MI, works overtime to deceive others in refusing the greatest gift given to mankind…

Christ and his bloody death on the cross for the remission of sins.  Others are deceived by thinking Christ has not risen, denying He is currently sitting on the right hand side of God and still others are fooled by not having faith in Christ and Him alone as key in their salvation process, but tricked into thinking that they must do additional works, deed, and rules, falsely accepting that we as humans can add to God’s already perfect equation of faith in Christ alone.
Thank God for the Five Solae of the Protestant Reformation.  Thank God for a group of godly men who could see that foul, evil, sneaky, sleight of hand of satan and put a halt to those lies, leading to utter destruction and instead  bringing the holy truth of God through the Bible  and in clear Christian theological doctrine, bring not only clarity, but the good news of salvation by faith in Christ alone.

Recap and Review:
The past couple of months, I invited you to join me in a series of “Solo’s”. In July we looked at Sola Scriptura which is Latin for Scripture alone.  I shared how this term arose out of history during the great reformation of the sixteenth century and birthed out of the hearts of God’s people for the purpose of drawing them to the holy scriptures of God and nothing but.  This term was defined and created by the Westminster Divines, during the Protestant Reformation after heresy and false teachings begin to sneak into the church and believer’s hearts began corrupting the sacred teachings of the Bible and the holiness of Christ, turning others from God’s holy truth.

In August, we will be looking at Soli Deo Gloria which means For the Glory of God Alone but also translated as Glory to God alone. The application of this term has been used by great composers such as George Frideric Handel who wrote the wonderful Handel’s Messiah to which people around the world join in praise to God every year, since its inauguration, during the Christmas season.  Handel made sure the purpose, clarification and understanding of his musical work was produced solely for the purpose of praising God and NOTHING else.
This month we will look at Sola Fide…by faith alone…sometimes called the material cause or principle, became the central doctrinal issue for many reformers.  Excluding the false teaching that good works is necessary for salvation, Sola Fide confirms that justification is received by faith only without any need, deeds or acts of good works.  Martin Luther, the great reformers, often called Sola Fide the “doctrine by which the church stands or falls.”

The Core Root Of Christianity
Faith in Christ alone is based completely and only on the finished work of Christ. It is a divine work God instituted and promised to His people and all who believe many centuries ago as prophesied in the Old Testament.  This is a clear distinct separation of every other religion.  All other religions are based on human effort and achievement, deceiving people into believing that in somehow, in some way, they can add to the perfect work ordained by God…and much like the MI, find themselves spiraling down in a preoccupation of a sinner’s effort to be holy on based on their own efforts.

It is justification by faith alone in Christ that clearly leads the way in Christianity.
Jesus taught justification by faith alone

Apostle Paul had the same tasks as the Reformers…
Looking through his epistles, Paul and the other authors of books in the New Testament, where dealing with the same error found in every false cult and false religion. Pleading in their writings for the audience not to be deceived by these MI who come in with the purpose of deceiving Christians from their faith in Christ.

My greatest concern is even now as I write this article, that Christians are being so deceived and poisoned by the lies and deception and twisting of scripture.
My friend DO NOT be deceived by the MI of this world.  CLING to Christ alone, through faith alone to the glory of God alone and no other.

Jesus himself says “He who believes [ in me as the Son of God]  and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
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Calendar:
Bible Study:  The Gospel of Mark - Tuesdays 9:00am to 11:00am
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Bible Study:  The Chaplaincy of Christ:  The Gospel of Luke
Audio Teachings on prayer and various speaking:  http://deeprootsinchrist.sermon.net

 
© Copyright 2014 Simone Lake. All Rights Reserved.
© Copyright 2014 Deep Roots in Christ Ministries. All Rights Reserved

About the author:
Simone Lake is a Christ follower, bride of Pastor Dr. John Lake, Bible teacher and a passionate pray-er. Visit her: www.deeprootsin christ.com, www.simonelake.com, facebook Twitter and LinkedIn.