Recently I came across a thinking Christian lady who said that she was looking for a "Soli Deo Gloria" kind of guy. This pretty much turned my head, but I had to wonder if she really knows what she is saying?
Soli Deo Gloria, one of those reformational sayings. right up there with Sola Scriptura (By Scripture alone do we know God’s Truth), Sola Fide (By faith alone), Sola Gratia (By grace alone). We are saved apart from works, by grace through faith (see Ephesians 2:8-9). And of course all of this comes down to Sola Christus as only in Christ is our salvation complete.
All of this said, I have to return to Soli Deo Goloria - To God Alone be the Glory!
I often beat my personal creed into my parishioners and many of my pastor friends have adopted it, it goes like this...
"If it is about me, it is not about Jesus and if it is not about Jesus, it is not Christian!!!" This is another way of saying Soli Deo Gloria, but in a way that hits home with today's Christian. You see, if you are saved by your good works, merits, decisions, efforts, not cussing, not drinking, not having sex, not this or that, then you really don't need Jesus at all, do you?
If this is the case, it is all about me, what I do or don't do that makes me a Christian. In reality, it may make you a Mormon, but not a Christian for the Christian, the true Christian confesses that he has sinned in thought, word and deed, by what he has done and what they have left undone. He confesses that he has NOT loved the Lord with his whole heart and has not loved his neighbor as himself. The true Christian knows that he is a sinner, but for the sake of the innocent, bitter, sufferings and death of Jesus on the cross that he is a saint - IN JESUS, NOT BECAUSE HE DOES OR DOESN'T DO CERTAIN THINGS!
Soli Deo Gloria - to God alone be the glory. Who is our God? The God revealed to us in flesh and blood is the 2nd person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus, the Son of God, very God of Very God, begotten of the Father of the Holy spirit, the God / man who lived perfection in our place, who died to pay a fine we could never pay who rose from the dead and leaves us with the promise of a resurrection.
Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider this verse... Let us take our eyes off of ourselves and turn them to Jesus for in Him alone is there salvation. Let us get our eyes off of our self righteous notions and fix them on the only one who is truly righteous on our behalf.
He is the author and perfecter. In Jesus is the Justification of sinners and the Sanctification of sinners. In Jesus, we have the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, not only of creation, but also of our salvation.
Stop looking at yourself, you will never measure up to the righteousness of God, instead look to Christ for He is your righteousness. Jeremiah 23:6 - ...This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
Soli Deo Gloria - indeed, as the Christian confesses with St. John the Baptizer, I must decrease that He may increase.
Thanks "Christmas Lady" for making me think about all of this, how we serve the Lord in ways we never expect.
