Posted on 10/18/2018 7:16:17 AM PDT by metmom
“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” (Romans 6:15-16).
Freedom from sin does not mean freedom to sin.
From Paul’s day until now, the gospel of grace has been accused of providing license to sin. If salvation is the gift of God’s grace, legalists argue, wholly apart from human works, what will motivate people to lead holy lives? In the face of such opposition, Paul never gave an inch on the vital issue of salvation by grace—and neither can we. The Bible teaches a salvation that is entirely by God’s free grace through faith and in which human works play no part.
But there is a second way in which the doctrine of salvation by grace may be perverted. Fulfilling the legalists’ fears, some believe that since God’s grace covers all their sins, they can live as they choose. In today’s passage Paul addresses that error.
The very thought of a Christian living in persistent, habitual sin horrified Paul. To the hypothetical question “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?” Paul responded emphatically, “May it never be!” As in verse 2, the apostle used the strongest form of negation in the Greek language. In our English vernacular, Paul was saying “Ridiculous! Impossible! No way!” He went on to point out the self-evident truth that no one can serve two masters. Everyone is either a servant of sin or a servant of God; there is no third option. And the one to whom people habitually yield their obedience is their real master, no matter what they may claim.
Don’t be deceived by those who claim that since Christians are forgiven, they can therefore sin at will. Such people know nothing of God’s grace, which, far from giving us license to sin, “instruct[s] us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12).
Suggestions for Prayer
Praise God for His grace, which is always greater than your sin (Rom. 5:20).
For Further Study
Read Joshua 24:14-27; Matthew 4:8-11; and 1 Thessalonians 1:8-9. Spend some time in prayer, asking God to help you renew your commitment to serve Him.
Studying God’s Word ping
There IS a difference
Great devotional today!
And people today STILL spread that myth around that having assurance of salvation leads to license.
The enemy is still getting mileage out of that lie to keep people from the truth.
We see it almost daily on FR.
My opinion is, it only leads to license, for one who is unsaved, with no assurance of salvation. Since they are spiritually blind, and can never understand spiritual issues, I believe that having a license to sin, is what they would do. No way, on God’s green earth, is that true. True, we see it often on these threads.
Will we still sin? Yes. It is a constant struggle as we wrestle with the flesh. But those sins are forgiven. The Greek of the NT is clear on this issue.
IMHO, God has given everyone freedom, however, in His love and wisdom, He has also given us BOUNDARIES.
We are free to do anything we want WITHIN the boundaries God has provided.
The sheep is free to enjoy any grass within the fold. If the sheep strays pass the fold, it gets into trouble.
Likewise, Adam and Eve were free to enjoy the delights of the garden of Eden with ONE SERIOUS PROHIBITION.
It behooves us all to know and understand what those boundaries are.
True that.
What has come up though, is that some people think that a believer having the assurance of their salvation, means they think they can sin with impunity and arrogance and think that they’re still OK cause their salvation is secure.
It’s not true, of course, that any believer would think that way, but it still doesn’t stop others from throwing out the accusation.
“Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness.”
People should know how “to discriminate the spirit of liberty from that of licentiousness - cherishing the first, avoiding the last....”
George Washington
I am glad to know, that I am not the only one who struggles against the flesh. Sometimes I feel like I am the lone stranger, but I know, that believers, all over the world, struggle too. 😇
Read Romans 7, too, written by Paul who we consider a giant of the faith.
He describes the struggle we all have.
And Catholic just LOVE to toss THAT in a Prot's face!!
But we give as good as we get by saying all the Catholics have to do is to run toi their priesat to get 'forgiveness' and say a few Hail Marys and/or Our Fathers.
And growing up and living in a highly Catholic community as I did, I heard the Catholics joke about that all the time.
Sinning was just a joke to them because they knew that they could get it taken care of next time they went to confession.
Or so they thought.
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