The so-called “Five Solas of the Reformation” in the view of this church stand as something of a baseline of what all historically Protestant churches have believed about God, Christ, Scripture, and Salvation. Having been crystalized in the 19th and 20th Centuries AD, “this fivefold summary” being “the shorthand version of what is known as Reformed theology […] captur(es) well the core of the gospel in all its graciousness and Christ-centeredness, just as it is revealed in the Scriptures. These five solas show the glory of God’s gracious way of salvation in a way that sets the tone for true theology, resounding in how we think and live in this world,”1 and therefore undergirds the main, unifying doctrines we believe here at MBC. They are included below, with brief descriptions augmented by further clarification drawn from our official Statement of Faith.
Sola Scriptura (“Scripture Alone”)
We affirm that the inerrant, infallible, and inspired Scriptures are the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. We believe that all the words and all the parts of the thirty-nine (39) books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven (27) books of the New Testament alone make up this divine revelation. Therefore, these sixty-six (66) books of God’s written revelation to man are sufficient to communicate all that God intends man to know about His Being, character, and will for the Created Order, and are therefore plenary (equally inspired in every book) in nature (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Furthermore, the Bible is the product of men controlled by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:19-21), and in the original manuscripts (the autographa, or autographic writings, written originally in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) is truth without any mixture of error. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured.
We deny that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian’s conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.
Solus Christus (“In Christ Alone”)
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He was not created, but is the Second Person of the Trinity, and is therefore co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. He came into this world in obedience to His Father and, as foretold in the Scriptures, manifested God to mankind, becoming the Redeemer of this sinful world. Jesus took upon Himself human flesh and a sinless human nature through the supernatural conception by the Holy Spirit in the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-25). Thus Jesus is both truly God and truly man, the very joining together of the two complete, perfect, and distinct natures, divine and human, in one Person, without any confusion, mixture, change, separation, or division. Furthermore, during His earthly life, although His divine nature was completely present and never diminished or in any way discarded, He at times chose not to exercise the full use of all His divine prerogatives, making Himself dependent on the Spirit of God in the exercise of His earthly ministry, submitting Himself to the limitations and weaknesses of human nature as mankind’s perfect representative (Philippians 2:6-8). He came to die for the sin of the world of rebellious humanity—the just for the unjust. Jesus Christ alone is the full and complete propitiation for sin for all whom the Father will effectually and fully draw to faith in Christ—the full satisfaction of the Father’s justice regarding sin. His sacrificial death was made on behalf of His elect, and therefore His voluntary sacrifice was truly vicarious, substitutionary, propitiatory, and fully accomplished the redemption of His people, not conditioned on foreseen self-willed faith on the part of the believer in any way. He rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures, retaining the same body, though glorified. His bodily resurrection and ascension into heaven, where He now serves as the High Priest for the redeemed of God and head over the Church, gives proof to the fact that His sacrificial death was fully acceptable to the Father for sin (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 53:1ff; Micah 5:2; Luke 1:30–35; 24:34–39; John 1:1–2; 20:20; Acts 2:22–6; Romans 3:25–26; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:3; 2:17; 4:14–15; 7:25; 10:1–14).
Therefore, we reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father.
We deny that the gospel is preached if Christ’s substitutionary work is not declared and faith in Christ and his work is not solicited.
Sola Gratia (“Grace Alone”)
We believe that every human being, regardless of ethnicity and physiology, share in the image of God and therefore have intrinsic value and worth. It was holy God’s original intention to create man to glorify God, enjoying His fellowship and living out God’s will in his life, accomplishing God’s purposes for him in this world (Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11). Therefore, we believe that Adam, although created in innocence under the laws of his Maker, by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy estate, bringing upon himself and all his progeny to the present day both physical and spiritual death, the just penalty for any and all wrongdoing before God, the One just and true Lawgiver and the One before whom all men are held accountable. Adam represented all humanity and all humanity sinned in Adam. As a result, all men and women are radically and fundamentally depraved (being inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace, including exercising true, saving faith in their Maker), are partakers of Adam’s fallen nature, and are sinners by nature and by conduct and, therefore, are under just condemnation without defense or excuse (Genesis 3:1–6, 24; Romans 1:18–32; 3:10–19; 5:12, 19).
Therefore, God graciously chooses to regenerate (or “make born again”) all those whom He has elected to give His divine, all-encompassing grace. We believe that regeneration is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which the divine nature and divine life are given (John 3:3–7; 5:24; Titus 3:5). Furthermore, we believe that election is the act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ those whom He would graciously regenerate, save, and sanctify (Romans 8:28–30; Ephesians 1:4–11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10; Titus 3:4–7; 1 Peter 1:1–2). Sovereign election does not contradict or negate the responsibility of men and women to repent and trust Christ as Savior and Lord (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11; John 3:18–19, 36; 5:40; Romans 9:22–23; 10:9–13; 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12; Revelation 22:17). However, sovereign grace by necessity includes the means of receiving the gift of salvation as well as the gift itself (Ephesians 2:8-10). Therefore, sovereign election will result in all that God determines. All God the Father draws to have faith in the Son will indeed come in faith, and all those coming the Father will receive indeed (John 6:37-40, 44; Acts 13:48; James 4:8).
Therefore, we reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from God’s wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life. Furthermore, the true grace of God will indeed sanctify and cause the genuine believer to desire of life of holy thought and practice and not to abuse the grace of eternal salvation afforded to him/her.
We deny that salvation is in any sense a human work. Human methods, techniques, or strategies by themselves cannot accomplish this transformation. Faith is not produced by our unregenerate human nature.
Sola Fide (“Faith Alone”)
We believe that justification is the legal act of God in which He declares Christians righteous through faith, and faith alone, in Christ Jesus, predicated upon their God-given repentance from sin to the Savior and God-drawn positive confession of the Lordship of Christ. Justification includes the pardon of sin and the imputation of God’s righteousness. It is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which the sinner has done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer. (Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Acts 13:39; Romans 5:1, 9; 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21). By this means God is enabled to “be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). Thus, the righteousness of Christ that believers enjoy is given to Christians, not earned by Christians (Titus 3:5).
Therefore, we reaffirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God’s perfect justice.
We deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in us, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ’s righteousness in us, or that an institution claiming to be a church that denies or condemns sola fide can be recognized as a legitimate church.
Soli Deo Gloria (“To God’s Glory Alone”)
We believe that there is one and only one living and true God, the Creator and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:30). He is an infinite, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent Spirit (Psalm 90:2; 139:7-10; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Isaiah 46:9-10; Daniel 4:35; Isaiah 43:13; Jeremiah 23:24; Matthew 19:26). God is inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love. In the unity of the Being of God there are three Persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus our Messiah), and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption (Exodus 20:2–3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11). This belief is referred to as Trinitarian Monotheism and is the only valid of expression of what the 66 canonized Scriptures teach concerning the Being of God.
Therefore, we reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God’s glory and that we must glorify him always. We must live our entire lives before the face of God (coram Deo), under the authority of God and for his glory alone.
We deny that we can properly glorify God if our worship is confused with entertainment, if we neglect either Law or Gospel in our preaching, or if self-improvement, self-esteem or self-fulfillment is allowed to become alternatives to the Gospel.
These five historical markers of all Reformed-minded Protestant churches are upheld here as the standard, minimal Statement of Faith for Messiah Bible Church. Below are some further distinctive doctrines embraced by our local congregation:
Further Distinctive Doctrines
We believe that the Church of Christ is universally existent (i.e. made up of Jewish and Gentile believers across all countries and ethnicities) but manifest as locally autonomous assemblies of Christians, united under the Chief Shepherd and Cornerstone of His Bride, Jesus Christ.
We believe that the two ordinances that Christ has commanded His disciples to practice are Believer’s Baptism (by immersion upon a valid, cognizant profession of faith in Jesus Christ) and Communion (the regular ceremonial meal of believers to remember the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross of Calvary and to prompt serious reflection towards a more sanctified life).
We believe that Jesus is returning for His Bride, the Church, one day, and when He ultimately returns, He will judge the living and the dead, ushering in a new Heavens and Earth, and all the redeemed of Jesus the Lamb will live forever in eternal glory and bliss with the Triune God, while all the reprobate who have refused to seek God for the forgiveness of their sins will perish in eternal flame under the righteous wrath of the Almighty God of eternity.
In addition to this precursor to a more detailed Statement of Faith, we also desire to offer you the following statements on particular issues that we find most agreeable and helpful in outlining our position on contemporary issues.
Statement on Social Justice
In light of recent issues related to the introduction, promulgation, use and acceptance of anti-biblical critical theories in the doctrine and practice of Christ’s Church, we find it necessary to link to the following statement. We are in wholehearted agreement with this statement as it relates to the promotion of CRT and advocacy for Marxism-infused and energized “social justice” outfits and “alternative” views to race relations and how they have affected our culture and churches.
https://statementonsocialjustice.com/
The Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
The roles of men and women in the service of Messiah’s Church and larger society are becoming increasingly confused and misunderstood in the “post-Christian” age in which we live, right down to the confusing of God-ordained sexuality that has become the banner of LGBTQIA+ supporters. Towards this end, we find it necessary to link to the following statement, outlining a biblical position concerning the different but complementary roles of men and women within the bride of Christ and as Christians more generally.
1Ryan McGraw, “What Are the Five Solas?” Accessed at https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/what-are-the-five-solas on 12 September 2022.