Rockport Baptist Church

Because Christ has set us free from trying to gain acceptance with God through living under Law, we must determine to live in that freedom by keeping our eyes on Christ alone by faith in full confidence in our justification as we live God-glorifying lives marked by love. I. Gospel Freedom is Christ's Gift to You by Faith, So Stand Firm in It v 1II. Those who Turn to the Law for Righteousness Lose all Hope of Gospel Freedom. vv 2-4III. Freedom Comes by Faith Alone in Christ Received through the Grace of the Holy Spirit vv 5-6

Because we have been born again into the freedom of the new covenant, we cannot go back and try to live under the bondage of the old covenant, which is not our covenant.I. The Bible Tells Us There Are Two Distinct Covenants vv 21-23II. These Two Covenants Govern Two Different Peoples vv 24-27III. We Are Children of the Promise in the Freedom of the New Covenant vv 28-31

As we seek to live godly lives in the present, we fix our eyes on the sure hope of the new creation and our glorification, brought about by the glorious presence of God.

When we face trials and temptations, we often slip into viewing our sin as the unavoidable result of the difficult life we have been assigned. We blame God and excuse our sin as the inevitable result of our circumstances. In this passage, James reminds us that sin is not inevitable, excusable, or innocuous. If we want to remain steadfast and receive the crown of righteousness, we must take temptation seriously, remembering that the sin that tempts us is resistible, evil, and active.

Because God's goal in our salvation is that we would be remade in the image of Christ, we also must pursue this as our goal, seeking to walk daily by faith with Christ, yielding to His life-transforming work in and through us.I. God's Goal in Your Salvation is to Re-make You into the Image of Christ! Gal 4:19, etc 1) The Goal of Your Salvation is Christ-likeness: "To see Christ formed in you!" 2) Sanctification is the Process by which your life is being reshaped into Christ's image daily! 3) God's big goal in redemption is to see the beauty of His image restored in us through faith!II. God's goal to reshape your life into Christ's image must now become Your Goal in Life! Col 3:9-10; Eph 4:20-24III. How do we pursue Christ formed in us? How do we cooperate with God's grace in this? (1) It starts with conversion (2) Look to Him to do this work! That's the promise! This is His purpose for you as a Christian! (3) Set your mind to be renewed as you learn to think like Christ! Col 3:1-2 (4) Fix your Eyes on Jesus D

Because the Gospel of Christ alone by faith is what gives us freedom, we must not let ourselves be misled by those who promote law-based religion into turning away from the grace of Christ to try to please God by our law obedience in keeping the rules of religion.

Because we are adopted sons who truly know God through faith in Christ, we must never allow ourselves to fall back into the religious slavery of legalism.I. You are not a Slave*, but a Son who is called to know and walk with God! vv 8-9a II. Why would you ever go back to the Slavery of Legalistic Religion? v 9bIII. To Make it all about the Rules of Religion is to Lose the Reality of Christ! vv 10-11

Because God has fulfilled His plan to send His Son to bear our curse and bring us into the assurance of sonship by faith, we can know that we are truly His and experience the full assurance that we are sons by faith through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.I. The Slavery that Was Ours Before Christ Came vv 1-3II. Christ Came to End Our Slavery and Brings Us Freedom and Adoption as Sons! vv 4-5III. As Sons We Can Know with Full Assurance that We Are His through the Holy Spirit! vv 6-7

Because we have become sons of God through faith-union with Christ, we can have full confidence that we are accepted and beloved heirs of all that is promised to Christ apart from works of the Law.I. You are Sons of God through Faith-Union with Christ v 26II. Your New Identity as Someone "in Christ" is Confirmed through Baptism! v 27III. You Share this blessing of Sonship with all believers, regardless of where you came from! v 28IV. You and I are Joint Heirs in Christ through our faith Union with Him! v 29

Our identity is not measured by our income. In this passage, James corrects our tendency to gauge our worth by our wealth. He reminds us who we are: by nature, mortal and passing away, by grace, exalted with Christ. Our prosperity does not erase our humiliation. Our poverty does erase our exaltation.

Our thorns and weaknesses are given to us (by God) that his power might be perfected in us. It is in our weaknesses- not our strengths- that we come face to face with His all sufficient grace.

Because the Mosaic Law-Covenant has fulfilled it's role by keeping Israel in custody until Christ came and is no longer in effect as a covenant, we must look to Christ alone as our standard and guide through faith. I. The Law Served as Israel's Prison Warden to keep them in Custody until Christ Came (v 23) II. The Law Served as Israel's Childhood Guardian until Christ Came (v 24) III. Now that Christ has come, the work of the Old Law-Covenant is finished (v 25)

Because the Law's role is limited and subordinate to the Promise, showing what sin is and why we need a Savior, we must not dismiss it as irrelevant, but must understand the role it plays as well as it's limit as a covenant that is no longer in force.I. The Limited but Important Role the Law Played in the Purposes of God vv 19-20 (1) The Law was added to make sin's transgression obvious! v 19a (2)The Law is temporary – given to Israel for a specific time within God's greater plan! v 19b (3) The Law is subservient to the Promise, as seen in the way it was given vv 19c-20II. The Law Does Not Contradict the Promises, It Complements Them v 21III. Scripture Imprisons All of Us in Sin so that Freedom May Be Found in Christ! v 22

Because the salvation of the Gentiles like us is rooted in the unchangeable Covenant of Promise God gave to Abraham, not the Covenant of Law given through Moses, we as Christians must look to the promise alone to secure our inheritance in Christ. I. Covenant Matters: Keep your eye on the Covenants v 15 II. The Covenant of Promise Centers on the Promised Seed v 16III. The Difference Between the Covenant of Promise and the Covenant of Law vv 17-18

Because the Law cannot save but instead brings a curse on those who fail to keep it in its entirety, we must look away from the Law to Christ by faith alone to receive justification and life from God I. The Stark Contrast between the Blessing that Comes by Faith and the Curse of the Law v 10 II. An Obvious Conclusion: No One can be Justified by Doing Works of the Law vv 11-12III. Our Only Hope: Christ has Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law vv 13-14

Because justification and every other spiritual blessing we have from God comes "by hearing with faith" rather than through "works of the Law", we must, like Abraham, put our trust in God alone to keep the promises of His Gospel I. Abraham is the Poster-Child for Receiving Justification by Faith Alone! vv 6-7II. It was always God's plan that we would be justified by faith and not by works of the Law v 8III. It is those from every nation who share the faith of Abraham who receive the blessing of Abraham v 9

The Final Message from our 2024 Grace Bible Conference -- "Strangers & Exiles" by Ryan Haider

The Sixth message from our Grace Bible Conference 2024 "Strangers and Exiles" --"Choosing Your Leaders" by Warren Kesselring

The Fifth Message in our Grace Bible Conference 2024 "Citizens and Exiles" by Dr Josh Wilson "Why Civic Government? A Temporary, Delegated Authority"

The Fourth message from our Grace Bible Conference 2024 "Citizens and Exiles" -- "Laws and the Law" by Geoff Ingrum