GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT
The objective for this lesson is to get you to
think about and then talk about some very
practical ways that we, as Christ Followers,
can use GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT, as
opposed to LEGALISM or LICENSE, to grow
stronger in our walk with the Lord.
The objective for this lesson is to get you to
think about and then talk about some very
practical ways that we, as Christ Followers,
can use GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT, as
opposed to LEGALISM or LICENSE, to grow
stronger in our walk with the Lord.
The objective for this lesson is to get you to
think about and then talk about some very
practical ways that we, as Christ Followers,
can use GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT, as
opposed to LEGALISM or LICENSE, to grow
stronger in our walk with the Lord.
What does a strong walk with the
Lord Jesus Christ look like to you?
What is the theme of Galatians?
What is the theme of Galatians?
JUSTIFICATION IS BY FAITH
ALONE, NOT BY WORKS
What does it mean, according to the
Bible, to be JUSTIFIED?
What does it mean, according to the
Bible, to be JUSTIFIED?
THE DEBT OF SIN THAT I COULD NEVER PAY
WAS PAID BY JESUS ON THE CROSS AND
NOW GOD SEES ME AS COVERED BY THE
CLEAN SLATE OF JESUS WHENEVER HE
LOOKS AT ME.
Why did we add the phrase NOT
BY WORKS?
JUSTIFICATION IS BY FAITH ALONE,
NOT BY WORKS.

Ephesians 2:8-9

Romans 4:5

Romans 5:1

Romans 5:18

Romans 8:1

Titus 3:5

II Timothy 1:9

Galatians 2:20
JUSTIFICATION IS BY FAITH
ALONE, NOT BY WORKS
II Peter 1:15 – For this very reason,
make every effort to supplement
your faith with virtue, and virtue
with knowledge, and knowledge
with self-control, and self-control
with steadfastness, and
steadfastness with godliness, and
godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love.
James 2:18 – But someone will say,
“You have faith and I have works.”
Show me your faith apart from works,
and I will show you my faith by my
works.
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.
Godly character is not the result of good
intentions, wishful thinking, some mystical
“zap,” or even sheer Bible knowledge. It’s
developed through the self-disciplined
application of God’s Word at a very basic
level, enabled and empowered by God’s
Spirit.
~ JOHN MACARTHUR
The objective for this lesson is to get you to
think about and then talk about some very
practical ways that we, as Christ Followers,
can use GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT, as
opposed to LEGALISM or LICENSE, to grow
stronger in our walk with the Lord.
The objective for this lesson is to get you to
think about and then talk about some very
practical ways that we, as Christ Followers,
can use GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT, as
opposed to LEGALISM or LICENSE, to grow
stronger in our walk with the Lord.
Godly character is not the result of good
intentions, wishful thinking, some mystical
“zap,” or even sheer Bible knowledge. It’s
developed through the self-disciplined
application of God’s Word at a very basic
level, enabled and empowered by God’s
Spirit.
~ JOHN MACARTHUR
Godly character is not the result of good
intentions, wishful thinking, some mystical
“zap,” or even sheer Bible knowledge. It’s
developed through the self-disciplined
application of God’s Word at a very basic
level, enabled and empowered by God’s
Spirit.
~ JOHN MACARTHUR
People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from
GRACE-DRIVEN EFFORT, people do not gravitate
toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture,
faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward
compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward
disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward
superstition and call it faith. We cherish the
indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation;
we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude
ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism;
we slide toward godlessness and convince
ourselves we have been liberated.
~ D.A. CARSON, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, VOLUME 2, (WHEATON
CROSSWAY, 1999) JANUARY 23 ENTRY
1.
Comes from a new life
II Cor. 5:17 calls us a ‘new creation’
Eph. 4:24 call it the ‘new self’ created in the
likeness of
God in true righteousness and
holiness.
Jn. 3:3 Jesus calls it being ‘born again’
In the Gospels Jesus says we have ‘eyes to
see’ now
Ez. 36:26 says, “And I will give you a new
heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.
And I will remove the heart of stone from
your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT:
BY MATT CHANDLER
2.
Uses the weapons of grace.
The blood of Christ – Eph. 1:7
“In Him we have redemption, through His blood. . .”
The word of God – II Tim. 3:16-17
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and is
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and
for training in righteousness.”
The promise of the New Covenant – Ez. 36:27
“And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to
walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”
GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT:
BY MATT CHANDLER
“But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed (our eyes
are opened) Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit
of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all with unveiled
face, beholding the glory of the Lord are being
transformed into the same image from one degree of glory
to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
II CORINTHIANS 3:16-18
“The immature run away from Him and try
to clean themselves up. They use their own
vows and resolutions, their own might,
effort, lists, and the law to conform
themselves. Don’t be arrogant enough to
think you can pull it off. This is the great
rebellion – some people try to find
freedom by breaking all the rules and
some by keeping all the rules but both are
screaming “I don’t need you, God”
GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT:
BY MATT CHANDLER
Grace driven effort uses the cleansing
blood of Christ, the powerful word of God,
and the Holy Spirit provided through the
New Covenant to fight the residual effects
of sin.
GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT:
BY MATT CHANDLER
3.
Attacks the roots not just the
branches.
“Idolatry lies at the heart of every besetting
sin we struggle with”
“Idolatry is putting our hope and trust in
something, someone, anything, other than
God.”
–Elyse Fitzpatrick
GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT:
BY MATT CHANDLER
4.
Fights for a reason that goes way past
the conscience.
It recognizes that my sin smears the Holy name
of God and grieves the Holy Spirit.
GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT:
BY MATT CHANDLER
The more I know of His great love and work
of redemption the more convinced I will
be that obedience is the best and only
option that will please Him, and bring glory
to His name.
THE OBEDIENCE OPTION:
DAVID HEGG
5.
Comes from being dead to sin, not just
forsaking it.
“So you also must consider
yourselves dead to sin and alive to
God in Christ Jesus.”
- Romans 6:11
“His divine nature has granted us all
things that pertain to life and godliness
through the knowledge of Him who
called us to His own glory and
excellence.”
- II Pet. 1:3
GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT:
BY MATT CHANDLER
6.
Is rage filled and violent toward the
residual sin in us. It wants it dead, not
just to starve and control it.
“Your adversary, the devil,
prowls around like a roaring lion,
seeking someone to devour.”
- I Peter 5:8
GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT:
BY MATT CHANDLER

Comes from a new life, and a new heart

Uses the weapons of grace: The blood, the word
and the promises

Attacks the root and not the branches – the idols of
the heart

Fights for a reason that goes way past the
conscience – fights for the Name of a Holy God.

Comes from being dead to sin, not just forsaking it.

And, is rage filled and violent toward sin, it wants to
kill it.
GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT:
BY MATT CHANDLER
“Christians work–they work to kill sin and
they work to live in the Spirit. They have
rest in the gospel, but never rest in their
battle against the flesh and the devil. As
J.C. Ryle put it, the child of God has two
great marks about him: he is known for his
inner warfare and his inner peace.”
~DEYOUNG, KEVIN, THE GOSPEL COALITION BLOT, JUNE 7,
2011,
HTTP://BLOGS.THEGOSPELCOALITION.ORG/KEVINDEYOUN
G/2011/06/07/MAKE-EVERY-EFFORT/
What does this “inner warfare” looks
like? Use scripture to support your answer
whenever possible.
What can or has “inner peace”
looked like in your life?
“Let us not misunderstand what it means to
be gospel-centered. As gospel Christians,
we are not afraid of striving, fighting, and
working. These are good Bible words. The
gospel that frees us from self-justification
also frees us for obedience. When it comes
to growth in godliness, trusting does not put
an end to trying.”
~DEYOUNG, KEVIN, THE GOSPEL COALITION BLOT, JUNE 7,
2011,
HTTP://BLOGS.THEGOSPELCOALITION.ORG/KEVINDEYOUN
G/2011/06/07/MAKE-EVERY-EFFORT/