The Cambridge Declaration - 5 Solas

The Cambridge Declaration
Cambridge, Massachusetts
April 20.1996

Introduction
• Historical evangelicalism: Embraced the essential truths as defined by the ecumenical councils of the church.
• Today: It is so inclusive it has lost all meaning. We are in dire peril of losing what it has taken centuries to achieve.
Sola Scriptura
The Erosion of Authority
• Scripture has been separated from it’s authoritative function.
• Church is being guided by culture.
• God’s Word has become secondary to secular growth and marketing strategies.
• Pastors have been neglectful as overseers.
• The “Church” has been emptied of it’s integrity, moral authority, and direction.
Thesis One:
Sola Scriptura
• Scripture alone is the final divine authority and is the only source of “special revelation.”
• Scripture alone can bind the conscience.
• Scripture alone teaches all that is necessary and sufficient for Salvation.
Thesis One
Sola Scriptura
• Denials:
– No creed, council, or confession can bind the conscience.
– The Holy Spirit does not speak or act contrary to Holy Scripture.
– Personal spiritual experience is never a vehicle of revelation.
Sola Christus
Erosion of Christ-Centeredness
• Evangelical faith has become secularized.
• Result:
– Loss of absolute values for individualism
– Wholeness for holiness
– Recovery for repentance
– Intuition for truth
– Feeling for belief
– Chance for providence
– Immediate gratification for enduring hope

Thesis Two:
Sola Christus
• Salvation is accomplished by Christ alone.
• His sinless life and substitutionary atonement are necessary and sufficient for our justification.
• Denial:
– We deny that the Gospel is preached if Christ’s work, both active and passive, is not declared.
Sola Gratia
The Erosion of the Gospel
• Confidence in human ability is a product of the fall.
• This “false” confidence fills the evangelical world today.
• This attitude silences the doctrine of justification.
• Examples:
– Self - esteem gospel; health and wealth gospel
– Transformation of Gospel into a product to be sold and sinners into consumers who want to buy
– Those who think the Christian faith is true simply because it works.

Thesis Three:
Sola Gratia
• We are rescued from the wrath of God by His grace alone.
• It is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.
• Denial:
– Salvation is in any way a human work
– Human methods, strategies, and techniques don’t do anything
– Faith is not produces by our unregenerate human nature
Sola Fide:
Erosion of the Chief Article
• Justification is by Grace alone, through Faith alone, because of Christ alone.
• This is the chief article, the heart of the Church, but today this article is distorted, ignored, and even denied.
• This is the article upon which the church stands for falls. Martin Luther

Sola Fide:
Erosion of the Chief Article
• The church growth movement views the sociology of those in the pew equal with Biblical truth in the success of the Gospel.
• Result of this thought:
– Theological convictions are absent from work in ministry
– Marketing priorities erase the distinction between the world and the church.
• This removes the offense of the cross
• Reduces Christian faith to secular methods and principles of success.

Thesis Four:
Sola Fide
• Justification is only by Grace alone, through Faith alone, because of Christ alone.
• Christ righteousness is imputed to us.
• Denial:
– Justification does not rest on any merit found in us
– Christ’s righteousness is not infused into us
– A church that denies this can not be recognized as a legitimate church.

Soli Deo Gloria
Erosion of God-Centeredness
• Whenever Biblical authority is lost, the following result takes place:
– Christ is displaced
– The Gospel is distorted
– Faith is perverted
– ALL BECAUSE OUR INTERESTS HAVE DISPLACED GOD’S and we do it our way!
The loss of Biblical Authority allows for the following transformations:
• Worship into entertainment
• Gospel preaching into marketing
• Believing into technique
• Being good into feeling good
• Faithfulness into being successful
• WE BECOME ME CENTERED!
Thesis Five:
Soli Deo Gloria
• Salvation is of God.
• Salvation is accomplished by God for His glory.
• We must live in the presence of God, under the authority of God, to the honor and glory of God, I.e. Coram Deo!
Thesis Five:
Soli Deo Gloria
• Denial:
– Worship can not be confused with entertainment
– We can not neglect either Law or Gospel
– We can not allow self-esteem, self-improvement, or self-fulfillment to become alternative gospels.