As we start off a new year, we can choose whether we live under a blessing or a curse. It is our choice. And with this should come an understanding that God’s grace is not a license to sin because sin leads to death and a cursed life. While, God’s grace leads to life and blessings, so we should never take advantage of it because God will judge us according to how we obey His word. So, for this new year we are going to start off with a series on Grace is not a License to Sin written by our brother from Iran, Nader.
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In the time of Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France, in one of the war camps, a soldier fell asleep while on guard duty. Unfortunately, in war, the punishment to sleep while on guard duty was death. So, the soldier was arrested and taken to Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon was sitting at his desk in the command tent with his head down and writing. Suddenly the soldier was brought into the tent, and he stood in front of Napoleon. Napoleon was still writing, his head still down, asking the soldier, “What is your name, soldier?” He replied, “My name is Napoleon, sir.” Suddenly Napoleon stopped writing, and raising his head, he stared at the soldier for a moment and said, “Change your life or take Napoleon's name off yourself.” Then he started writing again.
Yes, that soldier had to change his name or his life. Napoleon, as a mortal being, held his name in high esteem. Now, do Christians who bear the name of Christ live worthy of the name of Christ? Do they respect the name of Christ? Because Christians are the showcase of Christ and the Bible. Preaching the gospel of Christ is not just a matter of words but it should also be the way Christians live. If I were a pastor, I could not live in sin while preaching about sin and repentance to people at the same time. Because God the Holy Spirit who lives in me does not allow me to have such two faces in life. But unfortunately, today we see that most churches do not preach about sin and holiness. Rather, they talk only about grace and that you are free in Christ, and you are forgiven for whatever you want to do. Therefore, Christians live in the likeness of the people of the world, and the only difference between them and other people is having the name of Christ on them. But they do not understand that grace is not a license to sin.
In Romans 6:1-2, Paul cries out that grace is not a license to sin. “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” Yes, we all sin because we are human.
“If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:10
But the main point that Paul states is about living and staying in sin. A Christian sins but cannot live in sin.
“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all time; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. So you too, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, sin is not to reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the parts of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and your body’s parts as instruments of righteousness for God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the Law but under grace. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under the Law but under grace? Far from it! Do you not know that the one to whom you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of that same one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” Romans 6:8-16
Based on the authority of God’s Word in Romans 6:14, a person who is under grace will not be dominated by or want to continue living in sin!!!: “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the Law but under grace” This verse shows us that grace is what frees us from the dominion of sin. A revelation of grace will never produce a licentious lifestyle. On the contrary, it will set one free from all sorts of sinful lifestyles. Sin is inconsistent with who we are in Jesus Christ. It makes sense for a sinner to sin, but it does not make sense for a believer to sin.
“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
When I look at Deuteronomy chapter 11, I see that God has given us the right to choose to bless or to curse. He never forces us to do anything because He has given us free will, and the right to choose, so he can truly judge us. The decision is ours. Because, it is very difficult for a true Christian to sin, and that person is at war. Do we sin easily?
“See, I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.” Deuteronomy 11:26-28
Now, which is your choice?
Nader your little brother in CHRIST
GOD BLESS YOU. AMEN
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