Saturday, July 25, 2009

All This Grace, Doesn't Mean A License To Sin ( Romans 6:1-2 )

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Romans 6:1-2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brothers and sisters good evening. I do believe we are all familiar with this passage, but today as I was speaking with someone, in fact it seems this very passage doesn't seem to come across to some who profess Christ. They seem to think for some reason that Jesus will love them no matter what we do and how we live.What really bothered me and really did more so break my heart was what they justified in their life. Well, let me try my best to explain. The Apostle Paul here addresses in verse one if we have all this grace shall we continue in sin? Well, I think any sensible and knowledgeable Christian who has read their bible would say and like the Apostle states No!

Granted we have this grace,but it in no way gives us a license to sin. Instead we can look at it with such gratitude that He shows us such mercy daily. I think of how I don't measure up daily, no matter how much I seek to conform myself I know I wanna do better and can always do better. I'm honest with myself and realize I haven't obtained perfection and in no way allow this to get me down or leave me in a state of complacency. Instead I seek Him in prayer asking Him to lead me, teach me and guide me daily. Not to mention I even ask for His correction if I have been wrong and teach me from my error. For I know when He corrects me He is showing me love. For as it is written, "For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth ( Proverbs 3:12 )"

Think about the Apostle Paul's response in verse 2, first off he responds to the question he presented in the opening of chapter 6 with a resounding no. Of course his no is much stronger in it is commandment to not do it. He goes on to explain why. For we, those who have been born again are dead to sin. Do you know what that means to be dead to sin? This means it no longer holds dominion over you as it once did. This means just it means your dead to it. This doesn't mean you never sin again. That kind of thinking is ignorant, instead to be dead to sin is you are dead to the passion of loving sin.

Let me share with you my life(briefly) and I hope this will encourage and explain it to you. Before coming to Christ I was in love with myself and things of sin. I loved to party and basically if you listed the ten commandments I'm pretty sure I broke them and with a smile. Friends this is a picture of the sinner I was. Then fast forward to July 2007 I met Jesus, but honestly He found me.That very night the man who once broke God's law seeks in every way to obey Him.I'm not perfect,but in no way does that allow to get me down nor get me in a state of complacency. No this only motivates and encourages me to press on. For as it is written, " Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:( Philippians 1:6 )" The things which God hates I now hate and things in which He loves I love and am growing to love deeper. See friends to be conformed to the image of His son daily is to grow in holiness and to be like Him. Do not be conformed this world. I promise their is nothing in this life that will satisfy you. Nothing!

Brothers and sisters I plead with you God has shown us such grace don't provoke Him. Don't think this grace is a means in which we can live how we want. Remember we live to glorify Him. I'm not being harsh, know this brethren it takes a lot of love to write this. It just seems to me in this age brethren that discernment and examining content of what we watch and read needs to be thought on. Think about it? Does what you watch bring His name glory and praise? To him who knows good and does not it is sin( James 4:17 ). Think on that if we know better and do not are we not guilty?


Good night and God bless,
John W. Whybrew III <><

No comments: