The Latin word soli means "alone" and Deo gloria means "the glory of God." So soli Deo gloria means "to the glory of God alone."
Soli Deo gloria is part of a group of theological terms called The Five Solas. These are Latin phrases that became the rallying cry of the Protestant Reformation in the early 1500s.
Soli Deo gloria, regarding salvation, means that our salvation has been accomplished because of God alone. We have done nothing to deserve eternal life nor earn or attain God's forgiveness through our good works or perfectly obeying God's law (Romans 3:27). Those things are impossible on our own (John 15:5).
Rather, all of us have sinned, fallen short of God's standard of perfection, and our hearts are desperately wicked (Romans 3:32; Jeremiah 17:9). We deserve death—not life (Romans 6:23). We are saved from the punishment for sin while we are still sinners because of God's great love for us (Romans 5:8).
The payment we owe God for our sins was paid through Jesus' death and resurrection. God's forgiveness and the gift of eternal life is freely given. All we must do is receive these gifts by believing in Jesus as our Savior from sin (John 1:12). Our salvation is a GIFT and not a result of our own good works; that way, no one can brag about being "more deserving" of salvation than anyone else (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is soli Deo gloria.
Soli Deo gloria goes beyond salvation. Giving God glory ought to be a part of our lives because, without Him, we would be nothing, have nothing, and could do nothing (John 15:5; Acts 17:28). We wouldn't even exist! Giving glory to God refers to praising, honoring, and worshipping Him through the way we live. Our thoughts, words, and actions ought to reflect God's presence, guidance, and love in our lives.
When athletes win competitions or gold medals, they personally receive glory—praise, honor, adoration, and sometimes even "worship" from their fans. News reporters gather to get interviews, fans flock to get autographs, and people sing their praises and accomplishments.
When Scripture talks about glorifying God, there are two main ways to do that: through our words and our actions. We can use our words to praise God, sharing how great He is and what He has done for us (Psalm 105:2). We can use our actions to show the effect of having freedom in Christ, being loved by God, and being guided by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 5:16; John 13:35).
Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." The next time you see the stars in the night sky, stop and consider our Great Creator. He made the constellations (Amos 5:8) and knows all the stars by name (Psalm 147:4; Isaiah 40:26).
In Revelation 4:10-11, John writes about a vision God gave him, where 24 elders were worshipping Jesus around His throne. They laid their crowns before Him and said, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power." These elders, who had been given a crown for their service to the Lord, did not keep their crowns and gloat about their rewards; they gave glory to where it was due—to God alone.
Even YOU, whether you know it or not, declare God's glory by simply existing. When you were created by Him in your mother's womb, you were made in God's image (Psalm 139:14; Genesis 1:27). You can use your words to praise Him and declare what God has done in your life. You can tell others about the good things He has given you and the prayers He has answered. Encourage others by telling them of the ways God has protected you and the trials He has brought you through.
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." —1 Corinthians 10:31
Whatever we do, we are to do to the glory of God alone, and not for the praise of man or our own glory. German composer Johann Sebastian Bach did just that. He would sign all his religious compositions with the initials "SDG" (soli Deo gloria) to draw attention to God, not himself, in his musical compositions.
But you don't have to be a famous musician to glorify God. Even "boring" or small stuff like doing our homework responsibly or helping a friend can glorify Him. Doing something for God's glory means doing your best and not just the bare minimum, working to please God—not merely to gain the approval of people (Colossians 3:23-24).
We give God glory when we tell others that God is the One who gave you the strength or ability to accomplish something. Without Him, our world and universe wouldn't even exist, so He deserves all the glory and praise! SDG
Soli Deo gloria is a Latin phrase that means "to the glory of God alone" and is part of a group of theological terms called The Five Solas. In regard to salvation, this phrase means that our salvation has been accomplished because of God alone. We have done nothing to deserve eternal life nor earn or attain God's forgiveness (Romans 3:27; John 15:5).
Soli Deo gloria goes beyond salvation though. Giving God all the glory ought to be a part of our lives because, without Him, we would be nothing, have nothing, and could do nothing (John 15:5; Acts 17:28). We wouldn't even exist! Giving glory to God refers to praising, honoring, and worshipping Him through the way we live. Our thoughts, words, and actions ought to reflect God's presence, guidance, and love in our lives.
Hanna loves spending time with kids and teens. She enjoys being detectives with them to investigate God's Word to discover truths to answer any questions. She is the co-author of a newly published apologetics curriculum for children and teaches one online for highschoolers-adults. To learn more about her ministry you can visit networkerstec.com. For fun, she likes to play Ultimate Frisbee, read historical fiction, and paint.
