The Bible's Threefold Teaching on Sin (9 of 10)
Series: Revelation of Grace
Eddie Snipes
Before we leave the topic of sin, I want to address the claim that grace teaching either winks at sin, or denies that sin exists. In the life of the Spirit, sin does not exist, and as we've already discussed, it was defeated on the cross and taken out of the way. Even so, sin is still bound to our flesh where it tries to bring our minds back under its service, but this is only possible when we are not walking by faith.
The idea that grace believers teach that sin is okay or no longer matters is false. In fact, it is legalism that minimizes sin. Legalism only acknowledges 'big sins' or blatant acts of sin, but has no concept of the ever-present sin in the flesh. Legalism doesn't grasp the reality that whatever is not of faith is sin; therefore, any action that is not trusting and receiving from Christ alone is an act of the flesh and is sin.
Legalism also does not acknowledge that Jesus has rendered sin powerless, and that we have escaped the lusts of the flesh through Him. When we don't believe that Christ has defeated sin, we will reject faith and try to use our sinful flesh to defeat the sin in our flesh, which is impossible.
Only grace unmuddies the waters by revealing that the discussion isn't actually about sin or religion, but are we walking by faith in the Spirit, or are we walking in the flesh. There is not a third option, and legalism is always an act of the flesh. It may look good to human eyes, but if we are trusting in our works or our own righteousness, we are in the flesh.
When someone doesn't understand the work of God, they fear it. Nearly every objection against grace teaching is based on the fear of Christians sinning. The reason for this fear is because most simply do not understand the Bible's teaching on sin.
It's easy to get lost in the details, unless we take a step back and study the big-picture view. Let me give a word-picture to ...
Series: Revelation of Grace
Eddie Snipes
Before we leave the topic of sin, I want to address the claim that grace teaching either winks at sin, or denies that sin exists. In the life of the Spirit, sin does not exist, and as we've already discussed, it was defeated on the cross and taken out of the way. Even so, sin is still bound to our flesh where it tries to bring our minds back under its service, but this is only possible when we are not walking by faith.
The idea that grace believers teach that sin is okay or no longer matters is false. In fact, it is legalism that minimizes sin. Legalism only acknowledges 'big sins' or blatant acts of sin, but has no concept of the ever-present sin in the flesh. Legalism doesn't grasp the reality that whatever is not of faith is sin; therefore, any action that is not trusting and receiving from Christ alone is an act of the flesh and is sin.
Legalism also does not acknowledge that Jesus has rendered sin powerless, and that we have escaped the lusts of the flesh through Him. When we don't believe that Christ has defeated sin, we will reject faith and try to use our sinful flesh to defeat the sin in our flesh, which is impossible.
Only grace unmuddies the waters by revealing that the discussion isn't actually about sin or religion, but are we walking by faith in the Spirit, or are we walking in the flesh. There is not a third option, and legalism is always an act of the flesh. It may look good to human eyes, but if we are trusting in our works or our own righteousness, we are in the flesh.
When someone doesn't understand the work of God, they fear it. Nearly every objection against grace teaching is based on the fear of Christians sinning. The reason for this fear is because most simply do not understand the Bible's teaching on sin.
It's easy to get lost in the details, unless we take a step back and study the big-picture view. Let me give a word-picture to ...
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