If your understanding of grace doesn’t raise the Romans 6 question, “What?! Can we just sin? Does grace mean we can just do anything we want??” then you are not really catching Paul’s brand of grace.
Someone on a forum posted this in response to a wonderful grace quote:
I am a strong contender for the grace of God, but I also recognize that I will give an account for the things done in the body on the Last Day. Grace is God’s power working in us to conform us into the image of Christ, not a declaration that how we live no longer matters.
I think that how we live really does no longer matter. If it matters then we are back under the law. Our sanctification is filthy rags. We are under grace, not law. Did He not die as a propitiation for our sins? Redemption is a free gift.
“For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:14
Paul raises this question, which anyone understanding this correctly would raise:
“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?” Romans 6:15
If your understanding of grace doesn’t raise the Romans 6 question, “What?! Can we just sin? Does grace mean we can just do anything we want??” then you are not really catching Paul’s brand of grace. Only radical free-gift amazing sloppy-agape fire-insurance faith honors Christ’s blood, and only radical grace gives us the power and chance to obey from the heart. When we no longer make our own obedience the idol, when we longer make our own transformation the god we serve, when we submit our helplessness and death and inability to keep the law to His mercy, then we stop balking at real grace and put all of our faith in Him to save us and keep us and empower us. It is ONLY when it no longer matters, when there is no coercion, that we have the chance and unction to obey from the heart (Romans 6:17)
17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us. 1John 4:17-19
THIS is one reason why grace is AMAZING!!!!!!! It is amazing!!! He loves us!!! We’re the pearl He wanted! See if that doesn’t put some pep in your step!!!!
Great posts lately, Jim. I agree that if we are to be judged by our works, then we better be following the law far better than even the law-loving experts, the Pharisees. The freedom that we have in Union with Christ is the freedom of a child enjoying the gifts and presence of a loving Father. Kids who are lost in play don’t stop to wonder if they’re doing it right.