There are so many false gospels out there today that are unfortunately very popular amongst some who claim to be Christians. The prosperity gospel teaches that one will be healthy and wealthy when they come to Jesus. The self-love gospel is hyper-focused on loving the self and doesn’t place much emphasis on sin or repentance. The social justice gospel preaches that Jesus came to stop oppression rather than to save sinners. Some believe that Jesus isn’t the only way to salvation. Others believe you have to do good works to earn your salvation. And those with a progressive view of Christianity spout ideas like the Bible isn’t the Word of God, homosexuality isn’t a sin, and hell doesn’t really exist.

Knowing and preaching the true gospel is important for many reasons. The Bible tells us that those who teach are held to a higher standard and will be judged with greater strictness (James 3:1). God’s Word also tells us that those who preach a gospel that differs from what’s written in it is cursed or, as the New Living Translation puts it, condemned to hell (Galatians 1:9). They will be judged and condemned because they are essentially leading people to eternal spiritual death, and Jesus once said that it would be better for these false teachers to have a millstone tied around their neck and drowned (Matthew 18:5-6).

These may seem like harsh words, but they highlight the extreme importance of having a proper view of the gospel. It is only when we know and understand the foundations of our faith that we can share the true gospel with others. You may be wondering, Well, what are the foundations of our faith, of Christianity, of the gospel? You don’t have to figure them out on your own. Thankfully, the Reformers formulated five phrases based on the truths of Scripture to describe the pillars of the gospel, and they all begin with the Latin word for alone – sola.