Solus Christus

1 Corinthians 3:5-9

"What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building."

People, 'mere' humans, fail from time to time. Paul reminds us that we should always look to Christ and that only God as the firm foundation of our faith. How many times have we been surprised by the 'failure' of public popular Christians or televangelists, pastors, in this sensationalized media culture whose godly reputations cut down by various sins. And we who follow these, get devastated. No one seems to be immune to 'failure' at some points in our lives. Reading the life of King Solomon most of the time brings me sadness. Such an inspiring man almost all his life except when even he "did evil in the sight of the Lord". To a certain extent, King Saul as well, who started out wonderfully, all the humility and war victories he inspired the first kingdom of Israel only to be consumed by his 'mere' humanity. And so it is not wise to 'put our faith' on the people we look up to. That being said, there is definitely room for us to be inspired by the lives and writings of other Christians. Even as we are "surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses", saints and exemplary people of faith, "Solus Christus!", one of the pillars of the Reformation, we "fix our eyes [and lives] on Jesus." Also, instead, we must continuously pray for our leaders, our spiritual mothers and fathers, and all our mentors that they will always be refreshed, guided and moulded by the Spirit of God into the character of Christ, Who is, for all of us in the faith, our ultimate inspiration, the King Who never fails. 

Hebrews 12:1-3

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

~26.10.2013