Pastor: Scripture alone!
Christian: Amen! The Bible is sufficient and final, and the only source of our doctrine. It promises healing, abundance, and miracles, and it promises visions, dreams, and prophecies by the Holy Spirit. This is God’s sufficient and final word on the matter. I will not let anyone talk me out of it! God will not change what he said, and no mere man has the authority to overturn it.
Pastor: No…but faith alone!
Christian: Banzai! By faith, we receive salvation, healing, abundance, the Holy Spirit, along with visions, dreams, and prophecies. Paul wrote that God gave people the Holy Spirit and worked miracles among them because they believed what they heard. Jesus said that anyone who believes can perform the same miracles that he did, and even greater miracles, such as performing a miracle on a tree like he did, or even a greater miracle like moving a mountain.
Pastor: No…but grace alone!
Christian: Cowabunga! The Bible associates great grace with great power (Acts 4:33, 1 Corinthians 1:4-7), even the power to work signs and wonders. And it says that we may boldly approach the throne of grace to obtain grace to help whenever we need. I believe in this kind of grace.
Pastor: No…but, Christ alone!
Christian: Hosanna! The Bible says that Jesus took my infirmities and carried my sicknesses. This Jesus promised me that I will perform the same miracles that he did, and even greater miracles, because whatever I ask in his name, he will do it (John 14:14). This Jesus is the one who performs the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the only baptism in the Holy Spirit in the Bible is one that brings visions, dreams, tongues and prophecies, miraculous powers, and all kinds of signs and wonders. There is no other baptism, and there is no other Jesus.
Pastor: No…but glory to God alone!
Christian: Hallelujah! What a wonderful sermon. Now we are putting everything together. The Bible often talks about how miracles of healing and so on bring glory to God. In the context of talking about his own miracles, Jesus said that we can ask anything from the Father in the name of Jesus, and he would give it to us, that he may be glorified. Healing miracles and answered prayers bring glory to God alone. So the SCRIPTURE promises that when we have FAITH to approach the throne of GRACE in the name of Jesus CHRIST, we can receive miracles for ourselves and others, to the end that GOD alone may be glorified.
Pastor: Well…no. I do not think this was the intended meaning of the Solas.
Christian: There is only one Scripture, one faith, one grace, one Christ, and one God, and they all demand this conclusion — that is what the Scripture teaches, what faith produces, what grace does, what Christ promises, and what God glories in. Either the Solas refer to the same Scripture, the same faith, the same grace, the same Christ, and the same God, or they do not. The Solas must include this conclusion. If the Solas exclude this conclusion, then they become a separate religion that excludes the Christian faith, so that the Christian faith also excludes the Solas as intended when they were said. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot say “Scripture alone” but reject much of what Scripture says, and you cannot say “faith alone” but reject much of what is promised to this faith. You cannot say “grace alone” for salvation but reject much of what this grace does. You cannot say “Christ alone” for salvation but reject much of what this Christ commanded. You cannot say “God’s glory alone” but reject much of what brings glory to this God. To assert the Solas and exclude the above conclusion would make you the biggest religious hypocrite in the world.
Pastor: What do you want from me then?
Christian: I think you need to be honest with yourself and make a change.
A week later…
Pastor: Brothers and sisters, in the spirit of reformed and always reforming, today I present to you the updated Solas of our tradition. It is more honest and friendly to what we have believed all along.
Pastor: Tradition alone!
Church: Amen!
Pastor: Creed alone!
Church: Amen!
Pastor: Ritual alone!
Church: Amen!
Pastor: Unbelief alone!
Church: Amen!
Pastor: Glory to man alone!
Church: Amen!
Satan: Amen.