It is in the scripture alone that we learn of our salvation, which is only by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. These five statements are the ‘five solas’ of the reformation. “Christ alone” takes our focus today.
We must start by grounding this topic in the Bible, for it is the Scripture alone that is authoritative on these matters. John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” This is vitally important, because many christians do not seem to understand it. Some like to use the following illustration: “Salvation is like the top of a mountain, and there are many paths to the top. Sure, you can be saved by faith in Jesus, but you could be saved by many other means. You don’t have to be a Christian–you could be a Buddhist, or a Muslim, or a Hindu. They’re all valid.” According to the Bible, however, that is just not true. Jesus Himself tells us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one, and He means no one at all, can come to the Father except through Him. He is the only way to salvation; His life and work on our behalf on the cross is the only truth in which a faith will lead to salvation; He is the only one in whom we can have eternal life.
Matthew 7:13-14 says: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” According to Christian doctrine, the path to destruction, the path to eternal torment separated from the love and mercy of God in the fires of hell, is wide. It is an easy path. In fact, one does not have to do anything at all to get there. There is not a guard at the door, and unless someone is saved through Christ alone, he is already walking down the path to that gate. One’s sin, his transgression against the Holy and perfect God has already earned him everything he can possibly earn on his own. Damnation.
But the way to salvation is narrow. It is a hard road to travel, full of pitfalls and persecution. It is not for the weak or the fainthearted. But it is the way to eternal life. The narrow gate is Jesus Himself, and it is only through entering the narrow gate; it is only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and in Jesus Christ alone, that one can come to God; that one can have eternal life. Seek after the treasure of eternal life that lies behind the narrow gate.
