Solus Christus Explained

Solus Christus or In Christo solo (Latin in + ablative, sōlō Christō, meaning "in Christ alone") is one of the five solae that summarize the Protestant Reformers' basic belief that salvation is by faith in Christ alone.^[1]

Doctrine

Through the atoning work of Jesus Christ alone, apart from individual works, and that Christ is the only mediator between God and man.^{[1] [2]} It holds that salvation cannot be obtained without Christ.^{[1] [3]}

This is in opposition to Catholic doctrine which Mary, mother of Jesus is also mediator between God and humanity (Mediatrix).^[4]

Biblical arguments

As the foundation of the "solus christus" doctrine, various biblical verses can be invoked according to theologians.

• John 14:6 – "Jesus replied: I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
• First Epistle to Timothy 2:5 – "Because there is only one God, and only one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
• Acts 4:10–12 – "May all of you and all the people of Israel know that this happened in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth […] And there is no salvation in anyone else; for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved"

See also

• Dual covenant theology
• Salvation in Christianity
• Soteriology
• Supersessionism

External links

• Articles on the five solas from a conservative Protestant perspective

Notes and References

1. Smith . D. Blair . Spring 2018 . Solus Christus: Against the Idol-Making Factory . Reformed Faith & Practice: The Journal of Reformed Theological Seminary . . Orlando, FL . 3 . 1 . 13–27 . 5 November 2021.
2. Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Martin Luther and the Reformation, Vol. 2, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2017, p. 722
3. William A. Dyrness, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Global Dictionary of Theology: A Resource for the Worldwide Church, InterVarsity Press, USA, 2009, p. 512
4. Antoine Nachef (Sep 1, 2000) Mary's Pope: John Paul II, Mary, and the Church, ISBN 1-58051077-9, pp. 179–180