There’s something about understanding your ancestral roots that gives foundation to understanding who you are and where you came from. Diving into your genealogical records and background can give you some form of a framework to knowing more about your identity, why you are the way you are in various ways.

The same can be said of understanding the nature of our salvation, or rather the nature of how we were saved. When we understand what can essentially be described as our second birth or conversion, the regeneration and renewal of our souls from death to life, we can begin to go back and remember our beginnings as well, as it pertains to our being awakened to new life, eternal life in Christ.

Understanding this not just as an intellectual concept and “getting it” (and moving on) is not what this is about though. It’s way more about bringing this understanding into a deeper and greater appreciation and thankfulness to God for what He accomplished to bring you to Himself. It warms our hearts to the God who saved us, which isn’t that the goal of knowing more about God and His works to begin with? Knowing Him, the Author and Founder of our faith?

This is where the Five Solas are informative not just for the church as a history exercise (though that’s important to know as well to understand our roots as Protestant believers). But it’s bringing this into the personal realm of your own relationship with Christ, bringing it into your spiritual formation as a child of God united to Christ, that I believe is the most important aspect. And in particular, by way of experience, praying over these things with the Lord has personally been extremely formative.

These are a few rather concise articles (compared to some) on each of the Five Solas. I’ve framed them in a catechism format with questions and answers to kind of get at the personal, experiential aspect of your relationship with Christ as to how you were saved. By delving into this at a personal level in prayer with the Lord, I think we can gain a deeper thanksgiving and gratefulness as to the lengths God went to save us

How were you saved?
By Grace Alone (Sola Gratia), not by anything foreseen in you or done by you (including your faith), but you were saved by God’s free, unmerited grace:
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/grace-alone-sproul/

What were the means through which you were saved?
Through Faith Alone (Sola Fide), given to you as a gift, and not by works, were you presented righteous (with the very righteousness of Christ in your place!) in the presence of God:
https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/common-places-the-five-solas-faith-alone/

But faith in what or whom?
In Christ Alone (Solus Christus), as the sole, alone object (Person) that our faith rests in for eternal life, and no other intermediary of man or angels or those who have died before us, or yourself.
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/christ-alone/

From what authoritative source did you learn this from?
From the Scriptures Alone (Sola Scriptura), there was nothing outside the Scriptures that speaks with the final authority of the Word of God itself.
https://www.monergism.com/understanding-sola-scriptura

Why or to what end was this done? Why save you and not others?
For God’s Glory Alone (Soli Deo Gloria), and not for the glory of the individual or the glory of others or peoples, but His glory alone:
https://www.ligonier.org/blog/soli-deo-gloria-god-alone-be-glory/Five Solas