Soli Deo Gloria
Those words are Latin for "To the glory of God alone." It is the 5th sola of the Reformation. "Sola" means "alone" or "only". In Latin they went sola scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, soli Deo gloria. In English we would say it like this ... "According to the scriptures alone, we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone." This 5th point was the tie that bound all the others. Everything that happens does so for the glory of God.
Over the years the various branches of the Christian church have struggled with the interpretations of the scriptures. This has caused the formation of various denominations and various systems of theology. Sometimes these groups have competing theologies. That is one group will say one thing based on their interpretation of the scriptures and another group will say something else.
The scriptures (ultimately) and the tradition of church history (as an advisor) tells us what the boundaries of orthodoxy are. And sometimes the scriptures are unclear and can possibly be interpreted in more than one way.
Now a small caveat belongs here. For every passage of scripture there is one and only one correct interpretation of the passage. (There may be more than one application but only one true interpretation). So, if men put forward two then one of them are wrong. However, we see through a glass darkly and we may need to wait till we all get to heaven to learn which one was actually correct.
Having said that, if we are offered two possible interpretations of a passage of scripture, we must choose that interpretations which most debases man and most glorifies God. Always, God is elevated about men.
That is one reason I find reformed theology to be the most biblical. I believe, as I read that Bible, that reformed theology is most correct on the nature of men and most glorifying to God. This is not saying other theologies are heretical, but I find reformed theology to be the MOST correct about glorifying God. Other theological systems may be within Christian orthodoxy but they are (in my opinion) not as correct or God glorifying as that theology of the reformers.
But this post did not start off to be about reformed theology but to remind readers that when they are offered two possible interpretations of a passage of scripture, the one in which God is most glorified is the one that must be embraced. Soli Deo Gloria.
Those words are Latin for "To the glory of God alone." It is the 5th sola of the Reformation. "Sola" means "alone" or "only". In Latin they went sola scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, soli Deo gloria. In English we would say it like this ... "According to the scriptures alone, we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone." This 5th point was the tie that bound all the others. Everything that happens does so for the glory of God.
Over the years the various branches of the Christian church have struggled with the interpretations of the scriptures. This has caused the formation of various denominations and various systems of theology. Sometimes these groups have competing theologies. That is one group will say one thing based on their interpretation of the scriptures and another group will say something else.
The scriptures (ultimately) and the tradition of church history (as an advisor) tells us what the boundaries of orthodoxy are. And sometimes the scriptures are unclear and can possibly be interpreted in more than one way.
Now a small caveat belongs here. For every passage of scripture there is one and only one correct interpretation of the passage. (There may be more than one application but only one true interpretation). So, if men put forward two then one of them are wrong. However, we see through a glass darkly and we may need to wait till we all get to heaven to learn which one was actually correct.
Having said that, if we are offered two possible interpretations of a passage of scripture, we must choose that interpretations which most debases man and most glorifies God. Always, God is elevated about men.
That is one reason I find reformed theology to be the most biblical. I believe, as I read that Bible, that reformed theology is most correct on the nature of men and most glorifying to God. This is not saying other theologies are heretical, but I find reformed theology to be the MOST correct about glorifying God. Other theological systems may be within Christian orthodoxy but they are (in my opinion) not as correct or God glorifying as that theology of the reformers.
But this post did not start off to be about reformed theology but to remind readers that when they are offered two possible interpretations of a passage of scripture, the one in which God is most glorified is the one that must be embraced. Soli Deo Gloria.
posted by John | Sunday, January 22, 2012
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