When we sin we abuse God’s grace.
When we believe that God’s grace gives us free reign and encourages sin; then we either don’t understand God’s grace, or we abuse the grace and mercy of God.
When a person comes into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, it doesn’t mean that they will no longer sin. They will, because the sin nature still exists within every person. But what it means is that they are no longer alive to sin.
This was Paul’s whole point when he said, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)
Yes, grace is stronger than sin. Paul had just made that point perfectly clear when he said that where sin abounded, God grace abounded more (Romans 5:20b). But to say that God’s grace gives a person a license to sin is wrongly motivated and wrong headed.
Paul points this out by juxtaposing that we cannot continue to sin as believers in Christ, because when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we are alive to Christ and dead to sin. Therefore, how can a dead man live any longer in sin?
God’s grace doesn’t bring someone into saving faith so they can sin more, but rather it brings someone into saving faith so they can be free from the power of sin.
And so God’s grace doesn’t give a person a license to sin, any more than a dead man is able to live and move around.
And so, having died to sin, let’s start living for Jesus Christ, because He forever lives, and He is ever interceding with the Father on your behalf.
Dennis Lee is the senior pastor of Living Waters Fellowship at 211 West First South, suite C-E, behind ACE Hardware. Sunday Services are at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
