The Latin word solo means "alone" and Christo or Christus means "Christ," so solo Christo simply means "Christ alone." Regarding salvation, this is a statement that salvation is given through Christ alone.
Solo Christo 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.
Acts 4:12 says that "there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." The "name" referred to in this verse is the name of Jesus Christ. Any subtraction or addition to the way of salvation results in a false salvation message and has no power to save us from our sin.
Leading up to the 1500s, the Roman Catholic Church had made its traditions superior in authority to the teachings of the Bible. They added many things as "requirements" for salvation—in addition to believing in Jesus the Savior. These things included baptism, observing the Lord's Supper, the confession of sin before a priest, and others. According to Catholic doctrine and traditions, without these other works, a person could not be assured of salvation.
This is why solo Christo was important to establish during the Reformation. Reformation leaders, like Martin Luther, wanted people to know that these other "works" were not required for salvation. There is nothing wrong with baptism, communion, or confession of sin, but they should not be seen as items on a checklist for salvation.
The only name that can save is Christ.
"He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." —Titus 3:5
Scripture repeatedly emphasizes that salvation comes only through Jesus. In the book of Hebrews, there is a repeated theme that Christ is the only way to salvation and that He is greater than any of the Old Testament traditions. Just a couple examples are that He is the great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), greater than any of the high priests of the Old Testament, and the ultimate sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 9:14-15), greater than any sacrifice previously offered as a covering for sin.
1 Timothy 2:5 says that He is Mediator between God and man. No one else and nothing else is listed as an additional bridge to God. Jesus Himself said that He is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one could come to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).
Titus 3:5 also clearly states that we are saved not through good works but because of God's mercy. Forgiveness of sin is not due to our merit. In fact, when it comes to trying to "earn" our salvation, our good works are like "filthy rags" in God's sight (Isaiah 64:6). That doesn't mean the good things we do are not important or beneficial to us, our faith, and others. It means that even the best, most righteous thing we could ever do is STILL not enough to save us.
There is no one righteous (Romans 3:10); Christ alone can serve as a sacrifice for our sin and save us from the wrath of God in death (John 3:18; Romans 5:8). He alone is the perfect payment for our sin (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The teaching of solo Christo is clearly expressed in Scripture regarding salvation.
Some will call themselves Christians because they go to church, their parents are Christians, or they have been baptized. But remember: these things do NOT grant salvation. Only Jesus can allow your sins to be forgiven. His death and resurrection paid the penalty you owed to God for your sins, and you can receive His gift of forgiveness by trusting in Jesus as your Savior. Acts 16:31 says to "believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…"
That is the good news of solo Christo!
The Latin word solo means "alone" and Christo means "Christ." In regards to salvation, this means that we can only be saved by "Christ alone" (Acts 4:12). This phrase became popular during the Reformation because the Roman Catholic Church was teaching that there were other "requirements" for salvation—in addition to believing in Jesus. But this is contrary to Scripture. Verses like Hebrews 9:14-15, 1 Timothy 2:5, and Titus 3:5 clearly teach that salvation is in solo Christo—not in baptism, good works, or any other name or tradition. Solo Christo is a reminder to us today to trust Christ alone for the forgiveness of our sin.
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.
