a rant about sin and grace
There is indeed a question that faces many Christians who truly believe in a gospel by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone: What's the big deal about sinning if Christ already forgives our sins?
Whenever I've heard this question I've usually thought something like, "Well, that's a dumb question." Two things have stopped me from thinking that in the past few days.
1. Paul did not think it a dumb question (Romans 6:1).
2. I've had two people ask me that question in the past two weeks.
The most relevant way it was asked me was by a teenager struggling with the question. He simply asked, "How do we answer a person who sees us sin as Christians and accuses us of being hypocrites? We both sin, they might say, but you get to go to heaven and I have to go to hell because you believe in a little word called 'salvation'?"
Good question.
When posed with these types of questions, most Christians who know a little about their Bibles respond by saying, "Read Romans 6:1 - Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid!" But that doesn't answer the question. In fact, that's what prompted the question in the first place.
There are several truths that Paul lays out to answer the "why" question. Why should we not continue in sin?
1. We died to it, because we died with Christ.
2. We were baptized and buried with Christ in death.
3. We are raised with Him to walk in newness of life.
In answer to the question of whether or not we as Christians should go on sinning, since we're forgiven anyway, Paul does not revert to Pharisaism and start dishing out laws to obey. That's what most Christians do. Those of us who believe in the need to strive for holiness tend to think it is something to be achieved through lots of effort.
There is most certainly effort involved. But it is Spirit-dependent, Christ-exalting effort. To where does Paul point us in answer to the question?
Right back to Jesus. The answer lies in Jesus. He deliberately points his apostolic finger at our baptism, which is a picture of what?
The gospel.
That's right, brothers and sisters in Christ. No matter how long you've been trying to live this Christian life, no matter how long ago you walked down an aisle, signed a card, "accepted" Jesus, "found" Jesus, or whatever modern cheesy Christian phrase you want to use, you still need the gospel every single day in the fight against sin.
Why should we not go on sinning since we are already forgiven through the gospel?
Because of the gospel.
That sounds like silly reasoning, perhaps. But a fundamental understanding of the gospel is this: Jesus defeated sin and came to save us from sin. Grace brought us to Christ. Grace will keep us in Christ. Grace will transform our desires so that we want Christ more. When Paul is faced with this question of sinning since we are forgiven, he does not say what we say:
Sin would have no dominion over you if you would just follow the right Christian rules. Or ask, "What would Jesus do?" Or pray the Jabez prayer enough times.
No, Paul says:
"For sin will have no dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
Consider these following words in closing:
"[God] is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption." 1 Corinthians 1:30.
The gospel is not just the thing that brought us to Christ and justified us. It is the message that will keep us in Christ, forgive us of sin, destroy our desire for it, and transform us through this long process of sanctification, until the day when our bodies are redeemed, and sin no longer tempts our feeble souls.
And the glory for it all will go to Christ and Christ alone.
Whenever I've heard this question I've usually thought something like, "Well, that's a dumb question." Two things have stopped me from thinking that in the past few days.
1. Paul did not think it a dumb question (Romans 6:1).
2. I've had two people ask me that question in the past two weeks.
The most relevant way it was asked me was by a teenager struggling with the question. He simply asked, "How do we answer a person who sees us sin as Christians and accuses us of being hypocrites? We both sin, they might say, but you get to go to heaven and I have to go to hell because you believe in a little word called 'salvation'?"
Good question.
When posed with these types of questions, most Christians who know a little about their Bibles respond by saying, "Read Romans 6:1 - Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid!" But that doesn't answer the question. In fact, that's what prompted the question in the first place.
There are several truths that Paul lays out to answer the "why" question. Why should we not continue in sin?
1. We died to it, because we died with Christ.
2. We were baptized and buried with Christ in death.
3. We are raised with Him to walk in newness of life.
In answer to the question of whether or not we as Christians should go on sinning, since we're forgiven anyway, Paul does not revert to Pharisaism and start dishing out laws to obey. That's what most Christians do. Those of us who believe in the need to strive for holiness tend to think it is something to be achieved through lots of effort.
There is most certainly effort involved. But it is Spirit-dependent, Christ-exalting effort. To where does Paul point us in answer to the question?
Right back to Jesus. The answer lies in Jesus. He deliberately points his apostolic finger at our baptism, which is a picture of what?
The gospel.
That's right, brothers and sisters in Christ. No matter how long you've been trying to live this Christian life, no matter how long ago you walked down an aisle, signed a card, "accepted" Jesus, "found" Jesus, or whatever modern cheesy Christian phrase you want to use, you still need the gospel every single day in the fight against sin.
Why should we not go on sinning since we are already forgiven through the gospel?
Because of the gospel.
That sounds like silly reasoning, perhaps. But a fundamental understanding of the gospel is this: Jesus defeated sin and came to save us from sin. Grace brought us to Christ. Grace will keep us in Christ. Grace will transform our desires so that we want Christ more. When Paul is faced with this question of sinning since we are forgiven, he does not say what we say:
Sin would have no dominion over you if you would just follow the right Christian rules. Or ask, "What would Jesus do?" Or pray the Jabez prayer enough times.
No, Paul says:
"For sin will have no dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
Consider these following words in closing:
"[God] is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption." 1 Corinthians 1:30.
The gospel is not just the thing that brought us to Christ and justified us. It is the message that will keep us in Christ, forgive us of sin, destroy our desire for it, and transform us through this long process of sanctification, until the day when our bodies are redeemed, and sin no longer tempts our feeble souls.
And the glory for it all will go to Christ and Christ alone.
posted by Travis Prinzi @ 4:10 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home