「五个唯独」原文以简洁的拉丁文写成，是宗教改革者留给后人的五个信仰宣告。它们是：
- Sola Scriptura唯独圣经
- Sola Gratia 唯独恩典
- Sola Fide 唯独信心
- Solus Christus (或 Solo Christo) 唯独基督
- Soli Deo Gloria 荣耀唯独归神
战争的呐喊The Battle Cry of Reformation
头三个「唯独」是宗教改革的核心信念：唯独圣经，唯独恩典，唯独信心。「唯独圣经」与信仰和生活有关，「唯独恩典」和「唯独信心」与救恩有关。不是教皇的诏令，不是教会的传统，唯独圣经才是基督徒信仰和生活的最高权威。不是人的功德，唯独神的恩典才是我们得救的原因。不是人的善工，唯独在基督里的信心才是我们得救的方法。我们得救是本乎恩，也因着信。是唯独本乎恩，也唯独因着信，并无其他成分。
这三个「唯独」都指向基督，于是就有了 Solus Christus，唯独基督。我们借着基督将一切荣耀都归与神，Soli Deo Gloria，唯神为荣！这就是宗教改革的五个 Sola，五个唯独。
五个之中的 Sola Fide，唯独信心，是宗教改革的「战争的呐喊」。那时罗马天主教自称是救恩的唯一代理人，握有天国的钥匙，必须满足它的要求才能得救。路德和其他的改革者发出呐喊，大声抗议这个谬论。他们说，我们得救不是靠着满足教会的要求，而是靠着对基督的信心。而且无需任何的加添，唯独信心就足以使人得救！如此的信念使他们走上了与教会冲突的不归路，接着而来的就是辩论与审判，对抗与夺权，战役与大战。动荡不安的局面在欧洲持续了数十年，当一切终归平静的时候，「因信称义，唯独信心」的真理已经深植人心，再也无法夺走了。
基督信仰的中心The Heart of Christianity
基督信仰的中心是「人与神的关系」。不是清规或戒律，圣礼或礼仪，建筑或组织，甚至也不是「事工」的本身。神唯一在乎的，是我们与他的关系。
神要那些远离他、在外游荡的儿女回到他身旁，与他建立起爱的关系。神是父，他爱我们。他向我们所要的不是表面的形式，而是实质的关系。诚如先知弥迦所说，神向我们所要的不是「千千的公羊，万万的油河」，而是「行公义，好怜悯，存谦卑的心与你的神同行。」（弥6:7-8）
在路德的时代，以及我们的时代，许多人将基督信仰视为「形式的宗教」。只要将形式维持好了，你就万事妥当。接受浸礼，参加聚会，做你该做的，出你该出的，你就情况良好。你跟神的关系不好？那不重要，重要的是将表面维持好。这样的「基督教」无法满足路德内心的需求，他渴望着与神有着真实的爱的关系。
鸿沟The Great Chasm
有一个问题卡在我们回归于神的道路上。神是圣洁的，有罪的人不能「说回去就回去」。我们的罪在神与人之间造成了一道无法跨越的鸿沟，断绝了我们的回归路。必须先将鸿沟填平，我们才可继续前行。可是，这要怎么做呢？如何才能解决罪的问题呢？
答案是在羔羊的血中。若有羔羊为罪人牺牲流血，神就给这人开通道路，允许他来到面前。罪人将双手按在羔羊头上，将罪转给羔羊。羔羊被杀于祭坛之上，于是羊为人死，人因羊活。神立此「代罪之法」，彰显出他的公义与慈爱，使人绝处逢生，死中得活。担当罪孽的羔羊流血、死亡，这是神对罪的惩罚，彰显出他的公义。罪人除去罪孽，得到新生命，这是神对罪人的怜悯，彰显出他的慈爱。神公义与慈爱的完美彰显，是在十字架上。在十字架上，神的羔羊耶稣基督担当世人的罪孽，将自己无瑕无疵、一次而永远地献上，使一切信他的人都可回到神的身边。因基督的血我们的罪得赦免，因基督的死隔断的鸿沟被填平。回归于神的道路已于十字架上完成，凡信主的人均可自由前行。
这些路德都知道，他知道罪人需要信耶稣才能得救。当时他所不知道的，是「唯独」信心就可得救。天主教会所教导的，是得救必须对耶稣有信心，但这只是其中的一部分。除了信心还要做善工，还要浸礼，还要各样的圣礼，还要悔罪，还要…
路德的困境Luther’s Plight
路德陷入了困境。他想要确定自己的得救，但无论如何努力，心中总是没有确据。他从小父亲就很严厉，常为了一些小事而鞭打他。他觉得自己总是犯错，总是做不好，总是惹父亲生气。长大之后父亲要他去学习当一名律师，他不去，使父亲大为恼怒。有一次，他在路上遇到暴风雨，天色漆黑，大雨倾盆，雷电交加。路德于惊恐中向神许愿，若是得以生还，他就去当一名修道士。认真的他事后向神实践诺言，进了一间奥古斯丁修道院。修道的生活并未带给路德平安，他祈祷、禁食、认罪、做善工、遵守一切的清规戒律，心中却仍然没有确据。
当时的教会未能教导真理，告诉人只要信主就能得救，使困境中的路德找不着出路。还有这么多事要做，还有这么多义务要尽，要到何时我才能确定自己的得救？路德像一个做错事的孩子，站在严厉的天父面前，深感自己充满不配，一身的不是。
律法的重担The Burden of the Law
当福音初传之时，有许多外邦人归主，都热心学习基督之道。但是很不幸，同时也有一群律法主义者进入各教会，扰乱众人。他们是犹太人，教导外邦信徒除了要信耶稣，同时还要遵守摩西的律法才能得救。这样的教导使各教会陷入困惑：只信耶稣还不够吗？我还需要受割礼吗？使徒保罗眼见他们破坏福音真理，就与他们大大争辩。告诉众人律法全无功效，唯独基督的救赎才有功效。一个人只要信耶稣就可得救，无需遵守律法。为了解决这项纷争，众使徒齐聚耶路撒冷，举行大会（使徒行传十五章）。因着圣灵的引导，众人的见证，大会决定不将律法的重担放在信徒身上（徒15:28）。得救仅需信心，唯独信心，没有别的。
今日我们知道得救是本乎恩，也因着信。我们拥有这项认知，是欠了路德的债。因为罗马教会偏离圣经，这项真理被湮没了数百年。直到路德借着研读圣经，重新发现了这项真理。他发现神对得救的唯一要求，就是信耶稣。一个人只要信耶稣就能得救，其他的都不需要。一切的添加物都是「律法」，都是已经被基督除去的重担。我们完全没有必要，更是完全没有理由，在基督已经完成于十字架的救恩之上，添加任何的事物。
神的义The Righteousness of God
路德发现「因信称义」的关键，在于他对「神的义」的重新了解。对他而言，「神的义」一直代表着「神的要求」。若想在神的眼中被视为义，你必须遵行律法，完成教会对你的各项要求。当时路德已经是神学教授，有一天，在他为了教罗马书而备课的过程中，他发现了「神的义」真正的意义：
因为神的义正在这福音上显明出来；这义是本于信，以致于信。如经上所记：「义人必因信得生。」 （罗1:17）
在福音中，神的义不是要求，而是恩典的礼物。不是你赚来的，而是你领受的。神借着你在基督里的信心，将他自己的义白白赐给你。神将他的义放在你的身上，当他看到你的时候，不是看到一个罪人，而是看到他的义。身为一个义人，你得以进入至圣所，站立在施恩宝座之前。你是因着信，借着耶稣基督，进入现在所站的恩典之中。（罗5:2）
The five “solas,” expressed in concise Latin, are theological convictions of the Reformers. They are:
- Sola Scriptura, by Scripture alone
- Sola Gratia, by Grace alone
- Sola Fide, by Faith alone
- Solus Christus, Christ alone (or Solo Christo, through Christ alone)
- Soli Deo Gloria, Glory to God alone
The Battle Cry of Reformation
The first three solas – Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide – are the core of reformation convictions. Scripture alone, not papal edicts nor church traditions, is the ultimate authority for Christian faith and living. God’s Grace alone, not human merits, is the source of our salvation. And Faith alone, not works, is the means of salvation. We’re saved by God’s grace alone, through faith alone.
These three all point to Christ, hence Solus Christus, Christ Alone. Through Christ all the glory goes to God, Soli Deo Gloria, to God alone the glory. There you have them, the five solas.
Among the five solas, Sola Fide – justification by faith alone – was the battle cry of the Protestant Reformation. In a time when the church claimed to be the sole agency of salvation, that it alone held the key to heaven, Luther and other reformers cried out their objections. No, we’re not justified by fulfilling the church’s requirements. We’re justified by faith, and faith alone! This conviction set them on a collision course with the church. There were debates and trials, confrontations and power struggles, battles and wars. A tumultuous time lasted for decades in Europe. When all was over, the truth that we are justified by faith, and faith alone, was deeply rooted in believers’ conscience once again.
The Heart of Christianity
The heart of Christianity is our relationship with God. Not rules or regulations, sacraments or ordinances, buildings or organizations, not even ministries. What matters to God is our relationship with him.
God wants his wayward children to return to him. He wants us to have a loving relationship with him. He is our Father, he loves us. What he wants from us is not formality, but genuine relationship. Not thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of oil, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with him. (Micah 6:7-8)
People in Luther’s time, and in ours too, often mistake Christianity to be a religion of appearance. All is well as long as you keep up the appearance. Be baptized, go to the services, pay your dues, and you are good to go. Oh, it does not matter if you don’t have a relationship with God, just keep up the appearance. Luther found no satisfaction in this kind “Christianity.” He longed for a loving relationship with God.
The Great Chasm
There is a problem with returning to God. God is holy, sinful man can’t just “return to him.” A great chasm has been created by our sins, rendering it impossible for us to return to God. We need to fill the chasm before we can do anything. But how? How can we fix the problem of sin?
The solution is in the blood of the sacrificial lamb. God allows sinful man to come to his presence if a lamb is sacrificed in his place. A man places his hands on the lamb to transfer all his sins. It is then killed on the altar. The lamb died in place of the sinful man so he can live. At the cross, Christ the true sacrificial lamb bearing all our sins, offered himself unblemished to God once and for all. By his blood our sins are forgiven. By his death the great chasm is filled. We are now free to return to God.
Luther knew all of these. He knew that he was a sinful man and he needed to have faith in Christ in order to be saved. What he didn’t know at that time was he needed ONLY faith. The church taught him salvation is through faith in Christ, but not faith alone. In order to be saved you need to have faith, and good works, and baptism, and sacraments, and penitence, and…
Luther’s Plight
Luther was in trouble. He wanted to have assurance for his salvation, but no matter how hard he tried he just could not have it. His upbringing did not help. He had a stern father who would whip him for the smallest offense. It’s impossible for him to please the father. He always did something wrong. Always falling short. He carried with him that sense of inadequacy to the monastery, where he started the career of a monk. He did good works, prayed, fasted, confessed his sins, but still there’s no assurance.
The failure of the church to teach that salvation is through faith alone added to Luther’s plight. There were so many things to do, so many obligations to fulfill. How could a person ever be sure about his own salvation? Luther stood before his heavenly Father and found himself wanting.
The Burden of the Law
When the gospel was first preached to the gentiles there were many new converts. They were eager to follow the way of Christ. Then there were the Judaizers, Jewish Christians who taught that converts must observe the law of Moses, along with faith in Christ, in order to be truly saved. They went to the young churches with their teachings and people were confused. Was faith in Christ not enough? Should I be circumcised? Paul stood up to them whenever possible, arguing salvation is by faith alone and nothing else. For this reason we have Acts 15, the Jerusalem Council. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the testimonies of apostles the council came to the conclusion that it was not right to put the burden of the Law upon Christians. Faith in Christ alone was sufficient. (Acts 15:28)
Today we know salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone. We owe this understanding to Luther. This biblical truth was lost to God’s people for hundreds of years, Luther rediscovered it through his study of the Bible. He found out that all God requires for salvation is our faith in Christ. Anything beyond that is “the Law,” a burden which has been taken away by Christ. There is no need, indeed no justification, to add to Christ’s finished work on the cross by anything else we do.
The Righteousness of God
The key to Luther’s discovery was his understanding of the meaning of “the righteousness of God.” To him “the righteousness of God” was always “the demands of God.” To be righteous in God’s eyes you had to fulfill the Law, to do all the church required of you. Then, one day when he was preparing for a lecture on the book of Romans, he discovered the true meaning of “the righteousness of God.”
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
In the gospel the righteousness of God is not a demand, but a gift of grace. It’s not earned, but received. Through your faith in Christ God freely gives HIS righteousness to you. He places HIS righteousness upon you. When he sees you he no longer sees a sinful man, but HIS own righteousness. It is through your faith in Christ you have gained access into the grace in which you are now standing. (Romans 5:2)
