Finding Our Identity in Christ's Finished Work (Gospel Over Performance) | Jason Staggers

This week we continue our four-week journey through Ascend Church’s core values unpacking “Gospel over Performance.” Using the same Abraham story in last week's message from Genesis 15 and 22, this week we dig into one of the most important (and most misunderstood) truths in the Christian life: justification. Paul says we are “justified by faith apart from works.” James says a person is “justified by works and not by faith alone.” Are they contradicting each other? In this message, Ps Jason carefully reconciles Romans 4 and James 2, showing that together they give us a full, life-giving picture of the gospel. If you're struggling with condemnation or the assurance of your salvation, lacking feelings of peace, looking for bolder access to God in prayer, seeking greater hope, lacking motivation for obeying God, or just feeling distant from God relationally, this message will encourage you greatly. The gospel is not just a message that saves us; it helps us to see more and more our true identity in Christ. Finding Our Identity in Christ’s Finished Work: Why Justification Must Be by Faith Alone (Gospel over Performance)Core Values Series (Part 2 of 4) Ascend Church | 9 August 2026