Christian Basics: What Does "Grace Alone" Mean?
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You may have seen the phrases on t-shirts and tattoos, heard pastors mention them when preaching, or come across them in your readings: the five “alones” (or most commonly “the five solas” in Latin) of Protestant Christianity: “Scripture alone” (Latin: Sola Scriptura), “grace alone” (Sola Gratia), “Christ alone” (Solus Christus), “faith alone” (Sola Fide), and “to the glory of God alone” (Soli Deo Gloria). Following is a brief explanation of the meaning of “grace alone”:
Because of God’s grace alone we are forgiven and declared righteous.
Protestants believe that all humans are born with sinful natures and are enemies of God due to Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the garden of Eden. No one deserves a place in heaven or to be forgiven of their sins. “Grace alone” tells us that the reason Christians are reconciled with God in Christ alone is because of God’s grace alone. Our human wills, sin-stained works, and the works of “the saints” contribute nothing toward our being justified. We are forgiven and declared righteous because of Christ’s work, not anything of our own doing (Deut. 7:6-8; 9:1-6; Eph. 2:1-10; Westminster Larger Catechism 66).
What does the truth of “grace alone” mean for us today and tomorrow?
Those who have suffered the most under the torments of depraved humans such as mass murderers Stalin and Hitler especially know that evil people must be punished—not set free—in order that justice may be served. While humans tend to demand justice for the really bad sins and overlook the minor sins, there are no minor sins before a perfectly holy and just God. Even the smallest sin is the ultimate slap in the face of God and deserving of eternal punishment. Remember, it was not murder but Adam and Eve’s act of rebellion in eating the forbidden fruit that brought sin upon the entire human race (Rom. 5:12).
Our salvation came by God’s grace only—not our wills, our works, or the works of some “saint.”
The Bible tells us, “There is none good, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). We commit sin all day long, every single day we live. Since we don’t deserve heaven with God, let us especially express our gratitude to God for his gift of eternal life because our salvation came by God’s grace only—not our wills, our works, or the works of some “saint.” The grace of God shows us his mercy in keeping us from foolishly running headlong straight into eternal fire. Let us never lose sight of this expression of God’s love.
To learn more about all five “alones” (solas) of the Protestant Reformation, be sure to check out: Christian Basics: What Are the Five “Alones” and Why Do You Need to Know Them?
