BIBLICAL GRACE
Lesson 4
Grace To Sin???
If you continue to grow and develop as a Christian, you will no doubt discover that the grace of God will help you through your sins and shortcomings. You must, however, beware that you do not grow to exploit the grace of God as many are currently doing. These individuals are changing the grace of God into lasciviousness (Jude 4).
Let us be very clear: Grace comes to get you out of sin! Grace is never given to help you enjoy the sin!
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But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: . . . What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? – Romans 5:20b; 6:1-2
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What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? – Romans 6:15-16
The Bible is very clear on the subject of sin and grace. We are to flee sin and live. If we yield our bodies to sin (even in the name of grace), the Bible still promises death. Sin is sin and must always be viewed as sin. Just because we have grace does not mean we have been authorized to change the definition of sin. It is not okay to sin now that you have received grace. You can have grace, but sin will always be sin.
If God intended for His grace to be exploited as a free ticket to sin, we should be able to find Bible verses that reveal that to us.
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For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; – Titus 2:11-12
According to these verses, the grace of God teaches us five things:
1. Deny (refuse) ungodliness.
2. Deny (refuse) worldly lust.
3. Live soberly (self-controlled, handling one’s appetites).
4. Live righteously.
5. Live godly.
There is no provision in grace to keep on living dirty. Grace cleans you up and keeps you clean. Grace is for helping you get out of sin, not permitting you to keep sinning.
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For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. – Hebrews 4:15-16
The context of this passage is being free from sin. Our High Priest, Jesus Christ, understands our weaknesses and temptations. Therefore, He is a merciful High Priest and His throne of grace is where we are to go get help when we are tempted. We don’t go to the throne of grace to get permission to sin. Can you imagine someone going to the throne of grace and asking for permission to live dirty and unclean?
Old Testament saints also obtained grace from God. Let us see if the grace of God permitted them to sin.
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And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. – Genesis 6:5-8
God planned to destroy all of mankind because of sin . . . but Noah found grace. And Noah is called a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). In Noah’s day, grace and clean living seemed to go hand in hand. Grace equipped Noah and his family to escape the destruction of sin.
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For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth . . . And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance. – Exodus 33:16, 34:9
Moses stated that God’s grace in his life and in Israel’s life would cause them to be a separated people—a people different from the world. In chapter 34, verse 9, Moses acknowledges God’s grace in his life, but he also confesses the people’s sins. Moses had grace and grace in Moses’ life caused him to acknowledge and confess sin and to live differently from the surrounding heathen.
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And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. – Judges 6:16-17
The LORD appeared unto Gideon while he was threshing wheat in an abandoned winepress. Threshing wheat separates the wheat from the chaff. Chaff is symbolic of sin. Gideon threshing wheat represents his desire to judge himself before God and remove the sin (chaff) from his life. This desire to be clean qualified Gideon for the grace of God and it qualified him to be used mightily of God as a judge over Israel. Gideon’s first job as a judge with grace was to destroy the idols in his family and get the sin out of his home.
EZRA AND THE BABYLONIAN REMNANT
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Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. – Ezra 9:7-8
Ezra reminded the people that their enslavement was due to sin. But God, in His mercy, showed grace toward Israel so that they could escape their slavery and find a place in God’s HOLY place. Grace also came to revive them. Sin did not bring life. Sin brought bondage, but grace had to come to deliver them from slavery and bring life.
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For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. – Psalm 84:11
The whole context of this psalm is living around the house of God and walking uprightly. Grace and right living go hand in hand.
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My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble [sin]. – Proverbs 3:21-23
Solomon’s wisdom taught that keeping the Word of God, wisdom, and discretion would cause you to be full of life and grace. The Word is a restraint to your flesh. Grace about your neck will keep you from stumbling and sinning.
May we keep ourselves from sin and lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save our soul. Amen!
