Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 7 & 8; Romans 6; Jeremiah 44; Psalms 20 & 21
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?
Since a believer in Jesus has been given God's grace and forgiven of their sin should they consider this a get-out-of-hell-free card and continue in their old sinful lifestyles? That is the question that the Bible is putting to us. The Bible here is telling us how totally inconsistent this thinking is. The apostle says, "God forbid!" Absolutely not! To think in this way is to completely misunderstand what has happened to you when you trusted in Jesus Christ.
Not only did Christ give you life, but you also became dead to sin. How can a dead man continue in his old lifestyle? That doesn't make sense. When you trusted in Jesus Christ, you became a new creature:
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
We have a new life now! It is the eternal life of Jesus Christ living in us. Would Jesus Christ live a life of sin? No way! Now he lives in you and he is living his life through you. He will not lead you into sin. He will lead you in a life of righteousness. The grace of God is his amazing love and forgiveness that comes to us b faith. When we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the empowering, enabling grace of God is given to us. This grace is ours as the old man is crucified with Christ and a new man is born within us.
A person who continues in a life of sin either does not realize what God has done in them or is not really saved. Sin is abhorrent to God. He hates sin. It is a mistake to think the grace of God is his toleration of sin in the life of a believer. He does not tolerate sin, he kills sin. When Jesus died on the cross, he died for the sin of the whole world.
Romans 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Here is the life of Jesus. His death conquered sin. His life is lived unto God. This is the life that is in you. If you will allow the life of Jesus to have control in your life, the old sin will be a thing of the past. Live for Jesus for you are dead to sin!
In Christ,
Rody
