The Five Solas of the Reformation
Westview Christian Church is a confessional Reformed Baptist body of believers united by faith in the Triune God of Holy Scripture and committed to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ to make disciples of all nations. We are a "People of the "Book" and hold to the "faith once and for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3) and firmly rooted in the principles known as the five "Solas" of the Protestant Reformation.
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)– We believe that the inerrant and infallible Word of God is our sole authority on life and faith. No church council, tradition, or any teaching or idea of man is of ultimate authority, but, like Martin Luther, we acknowledge that our "conscience is captive to the Word of God."
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)– We believe man is saved solely based on the grace and mercy of God. In other words, God owes nothing to man, who by all rights deserves judgement, and if He decides to save some men, it is an act of grace based solely on His Sovereign choice and good pleasure.
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)– We believe that we are justified by God by grace alone through "faith alone." This simply means that man adds nothing to his justification; all of our works or righteous deeds, rather than earning God's favor, are merely a response to the grace of God towards us and in no way contribute the finished work of Christ on our behalf.
Solus Christus (Christ Alone)– We believe that salvation is found in Christ alone. His sinless life and His substitutionary sacrifice on the cross are alone sufficient to justify the sinner and reconcile him to God. Any "work" of man added to the simplicity of the Gospel is in the words of the Apostle Paul, "Anathema" or accursed.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the Glory of God Alone)– We believe that God, being sovereign over all of His creation, is infinitely worthy and deserving of all praise and glory and honor. In the light of this truth, we acknowledge that He is to be sovereign over every aspect of the believer's life. This is succinctly expressed in the various Reformation creeds with this statement– "What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever." With God's glory as the chief end, we seek to do all things to the glory of God alone (1 Corinthians 10:31).
DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS
The Five Solas above represent the foundational aspects of this body of believers, but for a more thorough treatment of our convictions please refer to the London Baptist Confession of 1689 and the various position statements below.