IF GRACE ABOUNDS, WHY NOT SIN? (16 OF 26)
Scripture: Romans 6:1-4
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If Grace Abounds, Why Not Sin? (16 of 26)
Series: Romans:The Gospel of God
Jonathan McLeod
Romans 6:1-4
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (v. 1).
CAN WE GAME THE SYSTEM?
In 5:20 the apostle Paul writes, ''Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.'' No matter how great our sin is, God's grace is greater.
What is God's grace? God's grace is the undeserved kindness he shows to us. So far in his letter to the Romans, Paul has talked a lot about something called justification (i.e., being declared righteous by God). Justification is by grace through faith. It's based on what Christ has done for us-he died for our sins-not on what we have done for God. Justification is given-as a free gift-by God; it's not earned by us.
In 6:1 Paul brings up a question that is often asked about the gospel: ''Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?'' The more sin he forgives, the more gracious he becomes. Why not sin so that God's grace will look even better?
Athletes often look for ways to ''game the system''-exploit the rules to gain an advantage (e.g., fake an injury instead of wasting a timeout). Can God's grace be exploited? Can we game the system?
[Read Romans 6:1-14.]
HOW CAN WE ''CONTINUE IN SIN''?
Paul's answer to the question raised in verse 1 is ''By no means!'' (v. 2). In other words, of course not! Why not? He says, ''How can we who died to sin still live in it?'' (v. 2).
To ''continue in sin'' and ''live in it'' means to live a lifestyle of sin. Many people think that freedom is living however you want to live-no rules! But that's not true freedom; it actually ends up being slavery. We live in a free country, but there are laws in our country. We can't do whatever we want to do. True freedom isn't lawlessness; it's the freedom to be what God made us to be.
To ''continue in sin'' is to exploit God's grace. How can we-people who have been saved by God's grace-exploit that grace? We ...
Series: Romans:The Gospel of God
Jonathan McLeod
Romans 6:1-4
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (v. 1).
CAN WE GAME THE SYSTEM?
In 5:20 the apostle Paul writes, ''Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.'' No matter how great our sin is, God's grace is greater.
What is God's grace? God's grace is the undeserved kindness he shows to us. So far in his letter to the Romans, Paul has talked a lot about something called justification (i.e., being declared righteous by God). Justification is by grace through faith. It's based on what Christ has done for us-he died for our sins-not on what we have done for God. Justification is given-as a free gift-by God; it's not earned by us.
In 6:1 Paul brings up a question that is often asked about the gospel: ''Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?'' The more sin he forgives, the more gracious he becomes. Why not sin so that God's grace will look even better?
Athletes often look for ways to ''game the system''-exploit the rules to gain an advantage (e.g., fake an injury instead of wasting a timeout). Can God's grace be exploited? Can we game the system?
[Read Romans 6:1-14.]
HOW CAN WE ''CONTINUE IN SIN''?
Paul's answer to the question raised in verse 1 is ''By no means!'' (v. 2). In other words, of course not! Why not? He says, ''How can we who died to sin still live in it?'' (v. 2).
To ''continue in sin'' and ''live in it'' means to live a lifestyle of sin. Many people think that freedom is living however you want to live-no rules! But that's not true freedom; it actually ends up being slavery. We live in a free country, but there are laws in our country. We can't do whatever we want to do. True freedom isn't lawlessness; it's the freedom to be what God made us to be.
To ''continue in sin'' is to exploit God's grace. How can we-people who have been saved by God's grace-exploit that grace? We ...
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