Christian Life

The Gospel
and the Christian Life

How we live in light of God's grace—repentance, faith, sanctification, and obedience flowing from a transformed heart.

📜 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." — Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)

📜 "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age." — Titus 2:11-12 (ESV)

What We Believe

At Teaching Bridge Fellowship, we believe that the gospel is not just the starting point of the Christian life—it is the foundation, fuel, and goal of everything we do. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone—and that same grace transforms us from the inside out.

The Christian life is not about earning God's favor through moral effort or religious performance. It is about living out what God has already accomplished in Christ. We are justified by faith, sanctified by the Spirit, and destined for glorification. This is the order of salvation (ordo salutis), and it shapes how we understand repentance, faith, obedience, and holiness.

The Call to Repentance and Faith

The gospel comes to us with a twofold command: repent and believe (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21).

Repentance

Repentance is not merely feeling sorry for sin or resolving to do better. It is a radical change of mind and heart—a turning away from sin and self-reliance, and a turning toward God in faith and surrender.

True repentance involves:

• Conviction — recognizing that you are a sinner deserving God's wrath (Romans 3:23; Psalm 51:3-4)

• Contrition — grieving over sin, not just its consequences (2 Corinthians 7:10)

• Confession — acknowledging your sin before God (1 John 1:9; Psalm 32:5)

• Conversion — turning from sin to Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:9; Acts 3:19)

Repentance is not a one-time event at conversion—it is a lifelong posture of the Christian. We are called to continual repentance, daily turning from sin and clinging to Christ (Luke 9:23).

Faith

Faith is not mere intellectual agreement or emotional experience. It is trust in Christ alone for salvation—resting entirely on His finished work, not on our own righteousness.

True saving faith involves:

• Knowledge (notitia) — understanding the gospel message (Romans 10:17)

• Assent (assensus) — believing the gospel is true (James 2:19)

• Trust (fiducia) — personally relying on Christ for salvation (John 1:12; Philippians 3:9)

Faith is the instrument through which we receive Christ and all His benefits—justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification. It is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 1:29), produced in the heart by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Word (Romans 10:17).

Justification: Declared Righteous

Justification is the act of God whereby He declares the sinner righteous on the basis of Christ's perfect obedience and substitutionary death (Romans 3:24-26; 5:1). It is a legal declaration, not a moral transformation. God does not make us righteous in justification—He counts us righteous because of Christ.

This is the heart of the Reformation doctrine: justification by faith alone (sola fide). We are not justified by our works, our obedience, our sacraments, or our moral improvement. We are justified by faith in Christ alone, who lived the perfect life we could not live and died the death we deserved to die.

Justification is:

• Instantaneous — it happens at the moment of faith, not progressively (Romans 5:1)

• Complete — nothing can be added to it (Colossians 2:10)

• Irreversible — those justified will never be condemned (Romans 8:1, 33-34)

This is not a license to sin—it is the foundation of obedience. Because we are secure in Christ's righteousness, we are free to obey out of love, not fear.

Adoption: Made Sons and Daughters

In addition to being declared righteous, believers are also adopted into God's family (Galatians 4:4-7; Romans 8:15-17). We are no longer slaves or strangers—we are sons and daughters, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.

Adoption means:

• We have full rights as children of God (John 1:12)

• We have intimate access to the Father (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6)

• We have an inheritance awaiting us (1 Peter 1:3-4)

• We are loved by the Father with the same love He has for the Son (John 17:23)

This is staggering grace. God doesn't just forgive us and tolerate us—He adopts us as His own beloved children.

Sanctification: Progressive Growth in Holiness

Sanctification is the lifelong process by which God makes us actually holy—conforming us more and more to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Unlike justification (which is instantaneous and complete), sanctification is progressive—it begins at conversion and continues until glorification.

Sanctification is:

• Definitive — at conversion, we are set apart as holy and consecrated to God (1 Corinthians 6:11)

• Progressive — throughout life, we grow in holiness through the Spirit's work (Philippians 2:12-13; 2 Peter 3:18)

• Final — at glorification, we will be fully and perfectly holy (1 John 3:2; Philippians 3:20-21)

Sanctification is God's work, not ours—but we are called to cooperate with it (Philippians 2:12-13). We are not passive. We put sin to death (Colossians 3:5), pursue righteousness (1 Timothy 6:11), and renew our minds (Romans 12:2). But we do so in the power of the Spirit, not in our own strength (Galatians 5:16).

The Role of the Law

The law of God (summarized in the Ten Commandments) still plays an important role in the Christian life, though we are no longer under the law in the sense of being under its condemnation or earning salvation through it (Romans 6:14; Galatians 3:24-25).

The law serves three purposes:

1. The Civil Use (Restraint)

The law restrains evil in society by establishing justice and punishing wrongdoing (Romans 13:1-5; 1 Timothy 1:9-10). This is its function in civil government.

2. The Pedagogical Use (Conviction)

The law exposes sin, condemns the sinner, and drives us to Christ (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:24). It shows us our need for a Savior.

3. The Normative Use (Guidance)

For believers, the law is a guide for godly living—it reveals God's moral will and shows us how to love Him and love others (Psalm 119:105; Romans 7:22). We delight in God's law and seek to obey it, not to earn salvation, but because we are already saved (John 14:15).

The moral law (the Ten Commandments) is still binding on Christians—it reflects God's unchanging character. The ceremonial law (sacrifices, dietary laws, temple worship) has been fulfilled in Christ and is no longer binding (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1-18). The civil law (specific laws for ancient Israel) is no longer directly applicable, though its principles of justice still inform ethics today.

Christian Liberty and Conscience

Believers have liberty in Christ—freedom from the condemnation of the law, from the tyranny of sin, and from the bondage to human traditions (Galatians 5:1; Colossians 2:16-23). But Christian liberty is not a license to sin—it is freedom to obey God out of love, not fear.

In matters not clearly commanded or forbidden in Scripture (often called adiaphora, or "things indifferent"), believers have freedom of conscience. We must not bind one another's consciences with man-made rules (Romans 14:1-23; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13). However, we must also exercise our liberty with love and wisdom, considering the good of our brothers and sisters.

The guiding principles are:

• Does it glorify God? (1 Corinthians 10:31)

• Does it edify others? (Romans 14:19)

• Does it violate my conscience? (Romans 14:23)

The Fruit of the Spirit

The Christian life is not about trying harder to be good—it is about abiding in Christ and bearing the fruit that the Spirit produces (John 15:4-5; Galatians 5:22-23).

The fruit of the Spirit is:

• Love — selfless, sacrificial love for God and others (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

• Joy — deep gladness rooted in God's grace, not circumstances (Philippians 4:4)

• Peace — tranquility and rest in God's sovereignty (Philippians 4:6-7)

• Patience — long-suffering endurance in trials (James 1:2-4)

• Kindness — gentle, compassionate action toward others (Ephesians 4:32)

• Goodness — moral uprightness and integrity (Romans 12:9)

• Faithfulness — steadfast loyalty to God and His Word (1 Corinthians 4:2)

• Gentleness — humble, teachable spirit (Galatians 6:1)

• Self-control — Spirit-empowered restraint over desires (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)

This is what a Spirit-filled life looks like—Christlikeness displayed in everyday conduct.

Perseverance Through Trials

The Christian life is not easy. Jesus promised tribulation (John 16:33), persecution (2 Timothy 3:12), and suffering (1 Peter 4:12-13). But He also promised that He would never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39), and that He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion (Philippians 1:6).

We are called to persevere through trials (James 1:12; Hebrews 12:1-3), knowing that suffering produces endurance, character, and hope (Romans 5:3-5). Our trials are not meaningless—they are the means by which God refines us, conforms us to Christ, and prepares us for glory (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Why It Matters

The gospel is not just the entry point into the Christian life—it is the pattern for all of life. We begin with grace, we continue by grace, and we end in grace. Justification is by faith alone, but the faith that justifies is never alone—it produces good works (James 2:17; Ephesians 2:10).

If you're struggling with sin, don't despair—run to Christ. If you're weary in doing good, don't give up—the Spirit is at work in you. If you're confused about how to live, don't rely on your own wisdom—look to the Word, where God has revealed His will.

The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires endurance, discipline, and daily dependence on God's grace. But it is also a life of joy, freedom, and hope—because in Christ, we are forgiven, adopted, being transformed, and destined for glory.

What Scripture Says

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Conversion is not self-improvement—it is new creation. In Christ, we are radically transformed by the Spirit.

Philippians 2:12-13

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

We "work out" what God "works in." Sanctification is God's work, but we cooperate by pursuing holiness in humble dependence on Him.

Romans 6:1-2

"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?"

Grace is not a license to sin—it is power to obey. We who have died to sin in Christ cannot continue living in it as if nothing has changed.

Colossians 3:1-3

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

The Christian life is lived with an upward focus—our identity, hope, and desires are rooted in Christ, not in earthly things.

1 John 3:2-3

"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he does, because he is pure."

The hope of future glorification motivates present holiness. We pursue purity because we know we will one day be perfectly like Christ.

Historical & Confessional Grounding

The 1689 London Baptist Confession carefully articulates the Christian life in multiple chapters:

"Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone." (1689 LBCF 11.1)

"They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, are also farther sanctified, really and personally, through the same virtue, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them." (1689 LBCF 13.1)

The 1689 affirms that justification is by faith alone, that sanctification is God's ongoing work, and that believers persevere to the end by God's preserving grace.

Common Misunderstandings

"If I'm saved by grace, can I live however I want?"

No. Grace does not give us permission to sin—it gives us power to obey (Titus 2:11-12). True saving faith produces good works (James 2:17). If there is no fruit, there is no root.

"Don't I need to keep the law to stay saved?"

No. You are saved by faith in Christ, not by law-keeping. But those who are truly saved will desire to obey God's law out of love, not fear (John 14:15; Romans 7:22).

"Isn't sanctification just trying harder to be good?"

No. Sanctification is the Spirit's work in you (Philippians 2:13). You cooperate by putting sin to death and pursuing righteousness, but you do so in the Spirit's power, not your own (Galatians 5:16-18).

"What if I sin after I'm saved? Will God reject me?"

No. If you are truly in Christ, you are secure in Him (Romans 8:1, 38-39). Sin grieves the Spirit and disrupts fellowship with God, but it does not undo your justification. Confess your sin, repent, and trust in Christ's finished work (1 John 1:9).

A Word of Application

The gospel transforms everything. It changes how you think, how you love, how you work, how you suffer, and how you hope. Stop trying to earn God's favor—you already have it in Christ. Stop living in fear of condemnation—there is none for those in Christ Jesus. Stop striving in your own strength—the Spirit is at work in you.

Live as who you are—justified, adopted, being sanctified, and destined for glory. Rest in Christ's finished work. Walk in the Spirit. Pursue holiness with joy. And when you stumble, run back to the cross, where grace abounds all the more.

Prayer

Father, thank You for the gospel—the good news that saves and transforms. Thank You that I am justified by faith, adopted as Your child, and being sanctified by Your Spirit. Help me to live in light of Your grace—repenting daily, trusting fully, obeying joyfully, and persevering faithfully. May my life bring glory to Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen. 🙏

Related Resources:

📖 1689 London Baptist Confession, Chapters 11-17 – Justification, Adoption, Sanctification, Good Works, Perseverance
📘 Salvation by Grace Alone (TBF Page 5)
🎙️ Recommended Sermon: Sinclair Ferguson – "The Christian Life"
📚 Recommended Book: The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges

Next: The Great Commission and the Mission of the Church →

In Sum:

TBF believes the gospel transforms the Christian life—justification, sanctification, and perseverance by grace. Learn what we believe about living for Christ.