Today’s Reading
Context
It is amazing how many ways people have found through the years to distort and pervert the teaching of the greatest truth ever - salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. In Romans 6, Paul begins his teaching on "righteousness by faith" that would continue through chapter 7, dealing with the common objections to the teaching and excuses people might give for living shoddy lives after receiving God's grace.
There were groups in the First Century who made the argument that since forgiving sin brought glory to God, the more we sin the more glory we bring to God. Some groups practiced all forms of licentiousness and uncleanness as a part of their worship practices - all so they could magnify the grace of God.
I don't think most of us would go to that extent. But I heard today of a conversation between a couple of people who claimed to be Christians but who both lived in blatant and unrepentant sin. Another person, listening to their discussion, added, "God forgives." Yes, he does. But when we assume from that fact that our sin is meaningless, that it doesn't matter how we sin or how much, we insult the cross of Christ and pervert his grace.
Devotional
- I've been saved by grace so it really doesn't matter if I sin, right?
- Forgiving my sin brings glory to God, so I might as well sin so that he can be glorified in forgiving me, right?
- We aren't under the Old Testament Law anymore, right? So I can live any way that I please!
Every time I've ever done a baptism, I've quoted Romans 6:4.
Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life.
A new life - that's why Jesus saved me. I wasn't saved just so I could go to heaven one day when I die. I wasn't saved simply to forgive me of my wins and wipe them away. I was saved for these reasons, but also for more. Jesus died on the cross that I might die with him to my life of sin and be raised with him to a new life that is lived by new standards. A new life in Christ.
That's why Paul gives the answer he does when he asks the question in verse 1. Do we sin so that grace can abound? God forbid! By no means. Don't let such a thought even cross your minds. No way, Jose! It is absolutely unthinkable that a believer would embrace sin. We are not sinless, but the grace of Christ moves us to fight sin with every ounce of our redeemed bodies.
Since this is true, verses 12 and 13 explain clearly how we ought to live.
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness.
Those who have been given a free salvation, won by Christ's work and not our own works, ought not to use that as an excuse to sin. We ought never allow sin to reign over us - Christ has broken its grip, its mastery over us - but instead we ought to offer ourselves completely to God and every part of our existence to him for his use.
It is the only fitting response to so great a salvation as ours.
Father, may I never treat your grace as an excuse to sin or an authorization for a spiritually sloppy life. Your son died and rose so that I could live a new life. May I see that more every day.
Think and Pray
Are you ruled by Jesus Christ or by the sin that he died to free you from?
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