Romans 8:28

The sermon centers on the doctrine of justification by faith alone, emphasizing that believers in Christ Jesus are now free from condemnation not because of personal moral improvement or progressive sanctification, but solely through union with Christ. It rejects the idea that sanctification is a gradual process of overcoming sin through human effort, arguing instead that the flesh remains inherently sinful and incapable of producing righteousness, while the inner man—created in true righteousness and holiness—is renewed daily but cannot be improved upon. The key passage, Romans 8:1, is interpreted as a present reality: there is no condemnation for those in Christ because their standing before God is based not on their performance but on Christ's finished work. The sermon underscores that God's sovereign choice, not obedience or religious activity, is the means by which believers are united to Christ, and that their righteousness is imputed, not earned. It affirms that God's love and grace are not contingent on human behavior, and that the Holy Spirit's work is not to empower self-righteous effort, but to draw believers to Christ through the assurance of forgiveness and the unchanging truth of the gospel. That faith is not meritorious but merely the gift God has given the child of grace to believe the gospel and receive it's good news about them and their free salvation.