In my previous article, I had drawn a similar conclusion from Jesus’ Golden Rule which redefines our understanding of the purpose of the law. Sin turns us toward obsessive self-concern, with disastrous consequences for ourselves and others.” Rather, we sin when we turn away from God and look to ourselves. “These three emphases also tell us that sin does not have to do simply with the keeping or breaking of rules or laws. The focus on sola Christus, sola gratia and sola fide leads to a different understanding of sin: It should be noted here that the word faith, as used in the document, is understood as trust in God, its meaning in the New Testament, rather than the acceptance of a set of beliefs about God’s nature, an idea later promoted by church theologians under the sponsorship of the Roman Empire. “ Sola fide (by faith alone) affirms that, through the hearing of God’s Word, the Holy Spirit ignites faith (trust) in God within us.” Recognizing our inadequacies, we respond by putting our faith in God: As with solus Christus, sola gratia means that there is nothing a person can do through his or her action that will create a right relationship with God. “ Sola gratia (grace alone) affirms that we are saved by grace alone. Indeed, none of us can earn our salvation by doing all the right things: That understanding leads to the conclusion that the Christian mission is primarily to love and serve one’s neighbor rather than to judge him. Scripture is to be interpreted through the lens of Christ’s death and resurrection for the salvation of all.”

“ Solus Christus (Christ alone) insists that the purpose of Scripture is to reveal Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. This ‘good news’ of the Gospel that we are freed from captivity to sin (justification by grace through faith on account of Christ) allows us to respond to God’s mercy through love for and service to the neighbor (our vocation in the world).”Ĭlearly, Christ and his contribution provide the guiding principles for understanding the rest of the Bible: “Our starting point is the foundational understanding that we read and understand the Bible in light of the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Lutherans, like Catholics, emphasize the importance of their “rich theological tradition.” But they read the Bible somewhat differently:

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