Relying on the Law

Overview

All of our personal problems and practical problems are really theological ones. Most theological problems are really practical problems, because theology affects the way you live. Today we’re going to look at one huge problem. There’s a theological way to put it, and there’s a more practical way to put it.

The theological problem is this: when you are saved, how do you move beyond being accepted by God as righteous to actually living a righteous life? This is a move from imputed righteousness to imparted righteousness. The more practical way is fairly simple. When you become a Christian, you realize you’re forgiven and that God loves you, but you may continue to see sins in your life that continue to pop up. How do you move beyond that? How do you actually grow in the faith and become more like Christ? Paul gives us a radical answer: the way you enter the Christian faith is exactly the same way you advance in the Christian faith. We’re going to dig deeper and look at this in more detail in today’s sermon.