Very good article, one that must be heeded by all true preachers of the Gospel. Great summation of what makes up reliable preaching. dposey, This preacher wasn't presenting a message of the Gospel, he was guiding Christians to examine if the message they hear is the Gospel. The Sola's being based on the Bible make them a good way to show the readers what a Christian sermon need include. Surely there is room for such instruction when it is solidly based on the Word and nothing but the Word. Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourself: it is the gift of God:", that is, salvation through our faith in Jesus who is the atonement for our sins, given by the grace of God. As the writer said, "Salvation is recieved by faith in what Christ has already done". The point being made was that too many preachers base their sermons on something other than God's word, and to achieve something other than to preach the Gospel and glorify God, and we must avoid them.

My point wasn't necessarily that the solas are not biblical, although Eph. 2:8 does not teach a Calvinistic "faith only" doctrine. Still, the formulation of the "sola" concept is from man not from God.

My point is that your form ought to follow your instruction. If you say we should use the Bible as a basis for everything we say, then you should demonstrate that point by using the Bible to make your points.

Otherwise, there is a lot of good in the article and I hope preachers heed the advice.

Thanks for listening.

Sola Scriptura all Ps 119
Sola Gratia/Sola Fide Ephesians 2:8-9
Sola Christus CoL 1:15-23
Dola Deo Gloria 1 Cor 10:31

These are just a few verses to that show the Solas are Biblical

I agree with a lot of this, but find it interesting that the article is built on a man-made formula while exalting the place of God and the Scriptures. What is the source of the "solas" after all?

Where is "faith alone" mentioned in Scripture, except in a negative context, for example? If one is going to lecture us on what a "reliable preacher" does, shouldn't he practice what he preaches in his writing; viz., take all his points from the Scriptures? There is not one passage quoted here, yet the author of this article says, "All of his [reliable preacher's] comments flow from what a particular passage in the Bible says."

Thank you for this article. I think in today's spiritual climate it is even more important to be certain as Christians we are listening to pastors and teachers who are firmly grounded in scripture.

Kristine McGuire
www.kristinemcguire.com