As you know by now, the month of October brings us closer to the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The beginning of this critical period in Church history, what J. I. Packer has called, “a spiritual revival, if any movement in Christendom ever was,” is forever linked with the date October 31, 1517. It was on this day that Martin Luther nailed his famous ‘Ninety-Five Theses’ to the church door in the German city of Wittenberg. With this simple request for debate on some of the questionable practices and beliefs of the Catholic Church, the Reformation was ignited, and we are the direct heirs of its gospel flames.

The Protestant theology that resulted from this time of theological and spiritual renewal was set forth by five Latin slogans, each representing an essential doctrine that, as the Reformers insisted, must be believed and proclaimed in order to be faithful to Christ:

Sola Scriptura-By Scripture Alone
Sola Fide–By Faith Alone
Sola Gratia–By Grace Alone
Solus Christus–Through Christ Alone
Soli Deo Gloria–Glory to God Alone

Throughout the month of October, we will be focusing our sermons on these five Reformation slogans that find their foundation in the Word of God.

This coming Lord’s Day our text will be 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17, and our message will be entitled, “By Scripture Alone.” When the Reformers coined this phrase, they had in mind the Scripture’s self-testimony regarding its claim to be the ultimate authority for faith and practice. And this claim regarding the written Word of God was made in view of the assertions of the medieval Roman Church that ultimate authority was found in the Church, in her authorized teachings, and in her traditions. For the Reformers Sola Scriptura answers the essential question, ‘Where has God spoken with final authority?’