Grace - Get it? Got it? Good!
Grace - unmerited favor. God's common grace is what keeps this world going. His redeeming grace is what saves us from sin.
Romans 5:20b-21
"...where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
To many, this passage seems to give the 'license to sin.' However, that can't be farther from the truth. If you've been given favor that you could never earn, why would you want to go on sinning? It's a slap in the face to the One who has given so abundantly.
Paul says it well in Romans 6:
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
A pastor friend said it best. People tend to get grace and wrath transposed. When tempted, they tend to rationalize giving in by saying that God's grace will cover them. This is a dangerous way to live! This sears the conscience and leads to further erosion of the relationship with the Holy Spirit.
When those same people succumb to that temptation, they then feel condemned because of their sin - because they know God is just and His wrath is mighty. But on this side - if they are a believer - they are covered.
The appropriate way to see God's wrath and His grace is the other way around. When tempted, we should especially fear the Lord our God. It's true that if one is a Christian, that person is spared from God's eternal wrath. However, God still hates sin. His wrath was consumed with Jesus - but why would a believer want to hurt Christ anew?
But when a Christian realizes their sin, confesses and repents, they should worship God for His grace - the 'grace that is greater than all our sin.'
2 Comments:
That's good, practical advice, Bert. Thanks!
Grace, not works, is what saves us. Our salvation is free because Jesus bought and paid for us with His blood. He suffered and died for us just so we can inherit God's kingdom in Heaven. However, since we are not perfect, we are still going to sin even if we've been Christians for a hundred years. So, here is my question: How does one repent from sin and keep from repeating the same sin over and over if one lives in an ungodly environment that cannot be escaped from until the transportation and resources are made available to create the life that is good and proper and righteous because one is disabled, can't work or drive, and can't live without assistance and so therefore remains stuck in one's ungodly environment for the time being? In other words, will God punish me because I still struggle with sin and want to repent but can't because of circumstances that seem beyond my control?
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