Joy's Greatest Enemy

Scott Risley

Philippians 3:1-9

Legalism or living under law is the greatest enemy of joy. Paul reserves his harshest words for anyone who weighs down believers with the false burden of legalism. As believers, we live under the law of grace where we do not work to secure our salvation but instead live with the reality of forgiveness, freedom, peace, rest and joy.

Arguing for Truth (Part 2)

Chris Hearty

Galatians 3:27-4:31

Galatians 3 and 4 form one of the Apostle Paul's greatest arguments for grace by faith in Christ. In Part 2 of this study, we round out the final three arguments Paul makes to show that legalism is incompatible with following Christ.

Willing to Fight for Freedom

Chris Hearty

Galatians 2:1-21

Paul was unwilling to compromise on the freedom given by the grace of Jesus. He's even willing to start a fight with Peter over it! This chapter of Galatians is packed with deep and personal application for your life.

From Legalism to Liberty

Chris Hearty

Galatians 1:10-24

In this passage Paul shares some details of his life. He wants us to know how God has changed him and how God can change us also.

Galatians: Freedom Manifesto

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 1:1-12

The book of Galatians was Paul's counterattack against the legalists who were trying to ruin new groups in the region of Galatia. It explains the freedom Christians can enjoy if they seek to understand it.

What's Wrong with Religion?

Dennis McCallum

Mark 12:38-44

Jesus' final confrontation with the religious leaders was the most furious one. What is Jesus so upset about that he resorts to name-calling?

The Heart of the Issue

Conrad Hilario

Mark 7:1-23

In this passage, we will look at a passage where Jesus confronts the religious thinking of his day that prevented people from seeing their problems clearly and experiencing God's grace. Not surprisingly, we see the same religious thinking pervading the thinking of our own day. Join us as we study this passage and examine parallels it contains today.

Mature Faith in Action

Ryan Lowery

James 1:1

The book of James is often misunderstood and many argue that James and Paul contradict one another. However, a close reading of James--one that keeps in mind his audience and cultural context--reveals that James and Paul believe in the same gospel, but are writing to two different groups for very different purposes. From the book of James, we learn what a mature Christian faith looks like in action.

Faith That Works

Scott Risley

James 2:14-26

In this challenging passage, James urges the church to have a faith that is accompanied by good works. Contrary to some interpretations, a close reading of the passage and other related scripture shows that James is not talking about earning salvation through works, but rather that genuine faith should lead to good works so that others may see our faith.