What does it mean that we are “justified by faith, not because of faith”?

Summary

The sermon addresses the dangerous tendency within some evangelical circles to overemphasize the quality or quantity of one's faith and repentance, subtly reintroducing works into salvation. Referencing the Synod of Dort and the Westminster Divines, it clarifies that true faith and repentance are gifts from God, not human achievements, and assurance should not be based on the perceived maturity of these graces. The takeaway is to rest assurance in God's grace, not in our own works or the perceived quality of our faith.