‘Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?’ Romans 6:1 NKJV
How should we answer those who say that talking too much about God’s grace causes people to think they have a licence to sin? By pointing them to God’s Word: ‘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 NKJV) Note the words ‘died to sin’. As you feed your new nature and starve your old one, it begins to die. You become less interested in pleasing yourself, and more interested in pleasing God. Paul said, ‘For the love of Christ compels us.’ (2 Corinthians 5:14 NKJV) Paul was not compelled by the fear of losing his salvation, but by the need to respond to God’s grace which he had experienced. He said, ‘The world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.’(Galatians 6:14 NASB)
The Greek word for ‘world’ is kosmos, or ‘order’. A revelation of God’s grace caused the world order to lose its appeal to Paul, and he to lose his appeal to them. When properly understood, the grace of God does not prevent godliness, but produces more of it. ‘For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.’ (Titus 2:11–14 NKJV)
SoulFood: Ecc 1–4, Luke 6:27–36, Ps 107:1–9, Pro 3:13–18
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