Study Guides: Growing in Grace – Learning and Living

Central Theme

Any teaching that adds human effort, covenant faithfulness, or good works to Christ’s finished work is a false gospel, denying the sufficiency of His merit alone.

Common Errors Addressed

Modern distortions, particularly the New Perspective on Paul (NPP), grossly err by redefining justification as mere covenant membership or inclusion in the family, often requiring ongoing “covenant faithfulness” alongside faith. This confuses justification with sanctification and misleads many into bondage.

Biblical Foundation

The Finished Work of Christ

Jesus did not make salvation possible—He secured it completely. His cry, “It is finished” (John 19:30), declares full accomplishment; adding anything denies this.

Justification vs. Membership

Justification is God’s legal declaration of righteousness for the guilty sinner, based solely on Christ’s imputed perfection (Romans 4:5–6). NPP wrongly claims it is about “who is in the covenant family,” blurring forensic reality with ecclesiology.

The Proper Place of Works

In Reformed truth, works are fruit of salvation, never root or condition. We work from life, not for it; making works a condition nullifies grace (Romans 11:6; Galatians 2:21).

Faith is the Only Instrument

Faith is the empty hand receiving Christ—a gift, not a work to maintain salvation. It clings to Christ’s faithfulness alone (Galatians 2:16).

Security in Christ

Acceptance rests on Christ’s perfect record (2 Corinthians 5:21); security on His unchangeable character (Hebrews 6:19). Works evidence living faith (James 2:18, 26), never merit.

Key Reformed Distinctives Emphasized

1. Christ’s Righteousness is Enough Full acceptance by God’s perfect record imputed, not ours.
2. Works are Evidence, Not Merit Prove faith alive; do not earn or sustain salvation.
3. Reject All Additions Teachings tying final standing to personal faithfulness return to bondage (Galatians 5:1).
4. Salvation of the Lord Alone Security in His performance, not shifting human effort.

Practical Application

Guard against distortions adding to Christ. Resolve to reject any teaching looking to your faithfulness rather than Jesus’ perfect faithfulness. If justification were by works, Christ died needlessly (Galatians 2:21).

Summary Confession

All sufficiency is in Christ—His finished work alone justifies, secures, and satisfies, apart from any human addition or distortion. To Him be eternal glory.

Central Theme

True election produces a garden of fruit through ongoing battle against sin; false assurance covers weeds with grace, yielding no flowers or fruit.

Common Errors Addressed

A frequent misunderstanding uses grace and election as excuses for passivity toward sin, mistaking outward tidiness for true holiness. Another clings firmly to right doctrine while lacking heart transformation and fruit.

Biblical Foundation

The Two Gardens

God plants every believer’s garden by grace. One gardener hates weeds (sin), fights daily, and bears fruit despite mess. The other smiles at weeds, saying “grace covers,” sits idle—garden choked, no fruit (Matthew 23:27; Isaiah 8:20).

The Danger of Self-Deception

Outward appearance can seem blessed, but God’s Word reveals lack of fruit—like Pharisees, whitewashed tombs, clean outside yet dead within.

The Call to Examination

While grace abounds, cry out for true sight: God helps those who seek to please Him (Psalm 139:23).

Key Reformed Distinctives Emphasized

1. Perseverance of the Saints True elect persevere in holiness and fruit-bearing by God’s preserving grace.
2. Sovereign Grace Transforms Election leads to sanctification; grace empowers the fight against sin.
3. Scripture as Sole Judge Weigh life by God’s Word alone—no light without alignment to it.

Practical Application

Examine your garden: Do you see fruit of the Spirit in private life? Does Scripture refine you or merely comfort habits? Feel holy restlessness against sin? Pray David’s prayer: “Search me, O God.” Pull weeds today—He helps.

Summary Confession

Lord, plant true fruit in us by Your grace; open our eyes to weeds, stir us to fight, and conform us to Christ for Your glory alone.

Central Theme

The Christian life is a lifelong calling to resist sin and pursue the glory of God, but this resistance and pursuit are not powered by our own willpower. Instead, they flow from God’s sovereign grace that regenerates our hearts and empowers us through the Holy Spirit.

Common Errors Addressed

A frequent misunderstanding is that overcoming sin and growing in self-control depend mainly on greater human effort, better habits, or stronger resolve. This moralistic tendency quietly shifts our trust from Christ’s finished work and the Spirit’s power to our own performance, leaving us discouraged when we inevitably fail and obscuring the beauty of grace.

Biblical Foundation

The Nature of Sin

Sin is any lack of conformity to or transgression of God’s law, whether in action, disposition, or state (1 John 3:4; Westminster Shorter Catechism Q. 14). It is not merely occasional wrongdoing but a deep corruption inherited from Adam’s fall, bringing guilt and pollution to all humanity (Romans 5:12). By nature we are dead in sin, hostile to God, and enslaved to our fallen desires (Ephesians 2:1–3; Romans 8:7–8).

The Source of Self-Control

Self-control is a required fruit of the Christian life, yet it is produced by the Holy Spirit rather than manufactured by human strength (Galatians 5:22–23). It is God Himself who works in us both to will and to do according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13), enabling us to put to death the deeds of the body (Romans 8:13).

The Standard and Goal

All that we do—whether in word or deed—must aim at the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Our chief end is to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever, and self-control is the Spirit-wrought reordering of our passions so they serve this highest purpose rather than lawless self-indulgence.

Key Reformed Distinctives Emphasized

1. Total Depravity Sin affects every part of our being—mind, will, and affections—rendering us unable to please God or truly resist sin apart from divine intervention.
2. Sovereign Grace in Sanctification Both initial regeneration and ongoing growth in holiness, including self-control, are the fruit of God’s monergistic grace working powerfully within us.
3. The Ordinary Means of Grace The Spirit ordinarily strengthens us for the fight against sin through appointed channels: the Word read and preached, prayer, and the life of the church.

Practical Application

Dear friend, when you sense the pull of sin or the weakness of your resolve, turn afresh to the means of grace. Open the Scriptures expectantly, pour out your heart in prayer, and draw near to the body of Christ. Rest in the gospel promise that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you, gradually conforming you to Christ’s image. Your failures drive you back to grace, and your small steps of obedience are evidences of His power.

Summary Confession

All glory belongs to God alone, who by His sovereign grace rescues helpless sinners, plants new hearts within us, and carries us forward in holiness until we se

Central Theme

Our true identity and “title” as Christians is not rooted in the strength or consistency of our spiritual desires and performances, but is freely and irrevocably ( in a way that cannot be changed, reversed ) given by God’s sovereign grace: we are justified sinners, adopted children, and beloved heirs, clothed forever in the perfect righteousness of Christ.

Common Errors Addressed

Dear friend, it’s a gentle temptation to derive our sense of worth or standing from the intensity of our spiritual affections—whether the longing for extended times in the Word, seasons of fervent prayer, or acts of devoted service. This can quietly shift our gaze from Christ’s finished work to our own experiences, leading either to pride when desires feel strong or to despair when they seem weak. Another common slip is to linger in self-condemnation, measuring our acceptance by how faithfully we perform rather than resting in the objective, unchanging reality of the gospel.

Biblical Foundation

• Justification by Grace Through Faith: God declares the ungodly righteous solely on the basis of Christ’s obedience, imputing His righteousness to us apart from any works or feelings (Romans 3:23–24; 4:5; 5:1; Philippians 3:9).
• Adoption as Beloved Children: By pure predestining love, the Father adopts us as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ, granting us full familial ( family ) privileges and the Spirit of sonship (Ephesians 1:4–6; Romans 8:15–17; Galatians 4:4–7).
• New Creation in Union with Christ: United to Christ, we are made new creatures—saints by calling, with an identity defined by His person and work rather than our fluctuating experiences (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1).
• Secure Heirs of Glory: We are joint-heirs with Christ, possessing an inheritance that can never spoil or fade, kept by God’s power and not by our performance (Romans 8:17; 1 Peter 1:3–5; Titus 3:7).

Key Reformed Distinctives Emphasized

1. Total Depravity and Alien Righteousness: By nature we possess no ground for any honorable title—only guilt and condemnation. Yet God graciously credits to us the perfect righteousness of Christ, entirely outside ourselves (Romans 3:10–12; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
2. Sovereign Grace in Election and Redemption: Our adoption and justification flow from God’s eternal, unconditional purpose and love, not from any foreseen merit, desire, or performance in us (Ephesians 1:4–5; Deuteronomy 7:7–8; Romans 9:11–16).
3. The Ordinary Means of Grace: The Holy Spirit continually confirms this glorious identity to us through the faithful preaching of the Word, the sacraments, and prayer, steadily directing our hearts back to Christ and His promises.

Practical Application

Let’s encourage one another, beloved, to rest daily in this unchanging title. When spiritual desires burn brightly, receive them as gracious gifts, but never let them become the basis of your assurance. When they grow dim or distractions multiply, preach the gospel afresh to your soul: “My standing is secure in Christ alone—He has declared me righteous and beloved.” Return regularly to the ordinary means of grace, allowing the Word read and preached, baptism remembered, and the Lord’s Supper received to renew your confidence in God’s irrevocable declaration over you.

Summary Confession

All glory to You, O merciful Father, for bestowing upon helpless sinners the exalted title of justified children and eternal heirs—solely through the obedience, death, and resurrection of Your beloved Son. May we live in continual wonder at this grace, to the everlasting praise of Your holy name. Amen.

Central Theme

Intense creative desires are permissible—and often evidence of grace—when the motive is solely to glorify God, make His kindness known through Christ, and lead others to praise Him.

Common Errors Addressed

A common misunderstanding is that strong creative passions are inherently self-seeking or worldly. Another is judging the value of our efforts by visible results, leading to discouragement when impact seems small.

Biblical Foundation

The Motive is Correct

All godly service rests on proclaiming Christ and directing all attention to Him (2 Corinthians 4:5). This embodies Soli Deo Gloria—glory to God alone.

The Use of Skills and Tools

God grants diverse gifts, including artistic and creative abilities, to serve His purposes and display His excellence (Exodus 31:3–5). All talents—traditional or modern—are legitimate when dedicated to teaching truth and magnifying God’s glory.

Results are God’s Responsibility

Faithfulness is our calling; success belongs to God. We sow and water, but He gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6–7).

Key Reformed Distinctives Emphasized

1. Zeal for God is a Virtue Passion to express and share God’s glory through creation is fruit of the Spirit’s work.
2. All Talents Must Be Consecrated Every gift is stewardship from God, to be used for His honor and the edification of others.
3. Focus on Fidelity, Not Fruit Faithful obedience and sound content are our duty; outcomes rest in God’s sovereign hands.

Practical Application

When creative impulses arise, test the motive: Does it seek God’s glory alone? Then use the gifts and tools He has provided, working heartily as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23). Trust Him with the results, finding rest in His sovereignty.

Summary Confession

Whatever we create or offer, may it all be done heartily for the Lord, giving glory to Him alone who equips us and determines every outcome for His perfect purposes.

Central Theme

True redemption includes not only imputed righteousness (Christ’s perfection credited to us) but also imparted righteousness—a changed heart and nature that enables us to fulfill God’s law through the Spirit’s power.

Common Errors Addressed

A frequent misunderstanding is resting solely in justification while neglecting sanctification, treating grace as mere legal covering without inner transformation. Another is viewing the law as only condemning, missing its fulfillment in believers by the Spirit.

Biblical Foundation

The Four Stages of the Law

Humanity’s relation to God’s standard progresses through history (Romans 8:3–4):

• Innocence: Law written on the heart; natural harmony in Eden.
• Condemnation: Law on stone tablets; reveals sin but gives no power (Romans 3:20).
• Perfection: Law incarnate in Christ, the perfect fulfillment (John 1:14).
• Redemption: Law fulfilled in us by the Spirit, becoming an internal guide (Ezekiel 36:26; Romans 8:4).

The Anatomy of a Walk

True change flows from renewed nature to renewed mind to renewed behavior (Romans 8:5–6). As an apple tree naturally bears apples, a regenerated heart naturally produces godly fruit.

Evidences of a Redeemed Believer

• Shift in affection: Hunger for God’s Word over sin (1 Peter 2:2).
• Joyful concurrence: Delight in God’s law even in conviction (Romans 7:22).
• Grief over sin: Immediate sorrow when falling short.
• Resident Teacher: Scripture illuminated by the Spirit (1 John 2:27).
• Power to choose: Ability to mortify the flesh (Romans 8:12–13).

Key Reformed Distinctives Emphasized

1. Regeneration Precedes Obedience God first gives a new heart; fruitful living flows from this changed nature.
2. Sovereign Grace in Sanctification The Spirit alone enables fulfillment of the law; we contribute nothing to the power.
3. The Ordinary Means of Grace Growth comes as the Spirit works through the Word, convicting, teaching, and empowering.

Practical Application

Reflect: Does God’s law feel like an external burden or an internal compass? Which evidence of renewal do you see clearly, and which feels distant? Rest in the promise: the same Spirit who justified you is transforming you from within, step by step.

Summary Confession

Praise be to God, who not only declares us righteous in Christ but renews our hearts by His Spirit, enabling us to walk in His ways for His glory alone.

Central Theme

God’s election is a warm, transforming truth: He chooses us not merely for heaven, but to make us holy and active in good works, as His hands and feet in a broken world.

Common Errors Addressed

A frequent misunderstanding treats election as a passive “safety net” leading to spiritual laziness or excuse for not sharing the gospel. Another hides lack of love behind doctrine, claiming no need to evangelize since God saves His elect anyway.

Biblical Foundation

The Goal of Election: Transformation

God chooses us for holiness and prepared good works, not to remain unchanged (Ephesians 1:4; 2:10). Image: Like being drafted to a sports team—not just to wear the jersey and sit on the bench, but to play in the game.

The Pulse of the Elect: A New Desire

Grace creates active labor and a holy restlessness to serve (1 Corinthians 15:10). The saved naturally develop a “holy ache” to share mercy—like one rescued from a fire warning the next house.

God Uses Means: The Devoted Heart

God ordains both ends (salvation) and means (our voices and obedience). Love for Christ compels feeding His sheep (John 21:17). Image: Finding a cure for a pandemic—you would not keep silent, saying others will be saved anyway; joy compels sharing.

Key Reformed Distinctives Emphasized

1. Election Unto Holiness God sovereignly chooses for transformation into Christ’s image.
2. Irresistible Grace Active Saving grace produces desire and power for good works and witness.
3. Means of Grace in Evangelism God uses obedient believers as instruments to call His elect.

Practical Application

Examine your heart: Is election a lived power producing compassion and action? Do you feel Christ’s love for the lost? Set your sails through obedience—share the gospel, serve gladly—trusting the Spirit’s wind.

Summary Confession

Praise to God who sovereignly chooses sinners, transforms us by grace, and sends us as His witnesses, that His glory may fill the earth through lives devoted to Him.