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God declares sinners righteous by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. In this episode, Dave Jenkins explains the biblical doctrine of justification, the righteousness of Christ counted to believers, and the distinction between justification and sanctification. Working through Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, and James, Dave shows why good works are the fruit of saving faith and never the basis of our acceptance before God. Learn how sola fide protects the gospel, strengthens Christian assurance, and encourages a life of grateful obedience. For more from Contending for the Word, please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word-podcast/

This sermon examines Paul's argument in 1 Corinthians that God chooses the foolish and weak things of the world to shame the wise and strong, ensuring that no human can boast in their own abilities. The central message emphasizes that salvation is entirely of grace, revealed to those who recognize their spiritual poverty and inability to save themselves. By contrasting the self-sufficiency of the world with the brokenness required for true faith, the exposition highlights that Christ becomes the believer's wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. The tone is both convicting and comforting, urging listeners to abandon pride in their own status or intellect and instead find their identity and glory solely in the Lord. Ultimately, the sermon asserts that God delights in using humble, broken sinners to display the magnitude of His grace and power.

This sermon expounds on Ephesians 4:25-32, arguing that believers, as new creations in Christ, must align their actions, speech, and thoughts with their renewed identity. The central message emphasizes that God is concerned not merely with external behavior but with the heart, which dictates both words and attitudes. The text highlights the duty to speak truth and edify others, avoiding falsehood, gossip, and malicious speech, while also addressing the need to manage anger and replace sinful thoughts with those that please God. Drawing on the Westminster Larger Catechism, the exposition provides specific applications for the Ninth Commandment, urging listeners to pursue integrity, kindness, and spiritual growth through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Feelings & Faith: Cultivating Godly Emotions in the Christian Faith by Dr. Brian Borgman

A wonderful, encouraging and thoughtful message on the importance of church membership! In addition to the two Scripture references mentioned below, also referenced was 1 Corinthians 12:12-25. Be blessed!

Because God is truth, I must embrace, live in, speak, and carry out all my dealings in His truth.

This sermon examines 2 Peter 1 as a call to progressive spiritual maturity, emphasizing that God's divine power supplies everything necessary for eternal life and godliness. The central message presents a 'chain' of virtues—faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love—that believers are to cultivate not through self-effort but by relying on God's grace. The preacher clarifies that this list is not legalism but a practical outworking of salvation, where the presence of these qualities confirms genuine faith and provides subjective assurance of election. By contrasting fruitful growth with the spiritual blindness of those who neglect these virtues, the sermon urges believers to diligently confirm their calling and secure their entrance into the eternal kingdom through daily dependence on Christ.

The sermon explores the Apostle Paul's relentless pursuit of spiritual maturity, urging believers to move beyond satisfaction with their current state toward higher ground in their relationship with Christ. Drawing from Philippians 3, the message emphasizes that salvation is not the final goal but rather the beginning of a journey to know Christ intimately, share in His sufferings, and attain the perfection of His resurrection. The preacher uses the metaphor of a mountain climber and a superconductor to illustrate the desire for a life free of resistance to the Holy Spirit, where God's power flows without hindrance. This exhortation challenges the congregation to forget past victories and failures, pressing forward with a single-minded focus on the prize of the high calling of God. The tone is both convicting and encouraging, calling for a hunger to experience the fullness of God's presence and power in the present age.

This sermon explores Jesus' teaching on marriage in Matthew 19, framing the institution as a divine covenant designed for unity and shared purpose. The central message emphasizes that while sin and selfishness often divide couples, the gospel provides the ultimate healing and restoration for marriages. By contrasting the Pharisees' legalistic approach with Jesus' return to creation, the text highlights the spiritual and physical union of spouses as a reflection of God's character. The preacher encourages believers to trust God's design, viewing their spouse as a gift for sanctification rather than a source of personal fulfillment. Ultimately, the sermon points to the broader biblical narrative where the church, as the bride of Christ, finds its true hope and identity in Jesus, offering a model of faithful love to the world.

This sermon examines the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel as recorded in Joshua, using the allocation of cities to the Levites and the establishment of cities of refuge to illustrate divine faithfulness. The central message argues that God's perfect faithfulness, character, and perfection should serve as the primary motivators for the believer's own holy response. It emphasizes that believers are called to imitate God's nature, distinguishing between their positional holiness in Christ and the practical pursuit of sanctification in daily life. The tone is instructional and encouraging, urging the congregation to view God's historical actions as a foundation for personal devotion and moral excellence. Ultimately, the sermon calls for a life of gratitude and obedience that reflects the reliability and love of the Creator.

Is salvation is merely a one-time event? Are we presenting our bodies as living sacrifices in order that we be transformed inwardly, in our minds? Have we found that communing with God is really a daily cleansing that restores our intimacy with God, a relational aspect that is broken often behind our sin? Please listen to "Mirror for your Motives, (the Sequel), taught by Pastor Ricardo Calvo Jr., to find the valuable answers to these questions and more.

God further reveals what it is to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly.

And when he had made a scourge of small cords, **he drove them all out of the temple**, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; (John 2:15) *1/ What our bodies were designed to be and what they are since the fall. 2/ The coming of our Lord to his temple. 3/ The cleansing of the temple of our bodies.* **Sermon summary:** The sermon explores the theological parallel between Jesus cleansing the physical temple in John 2 and the spiritual cleansing of the believer's body, described as the temple of the Holy Ghost in 1 Corinthians 6. It begins by acknowledging the defiled state of human nature following the Fall, where sin and corruption dwell within the soul. The central message emphasizes that the Lord's coming to the believer is the primary act of grace, initiating the new birth and establishing His presence within the individual. This indwelling presence is followed by an ongoing process of sanctification, where the Lord uses the Word, providential trials, and chastisement to drive out sin and defilement. The tone is pastoral and encouraging, assuring believers that while the process of cleansing may be painful, it is evidence of the Lord's ownership and His ultimate goal of making the believer holy for His glory.