Grace

Have you ever known a Christian who thought they could do whatever they wanted in life as long as they ask forgiveness of God before they die. I have, you may even think this way yourself. After all once you are saved, your good to go, right? There are religions and Christian denominations who teach this principle.

There is a major problem with this thought process, you may not have the opportunity to seek forgiveness, and yes once saved, you are saved for eternity. But there is something called sanctification. Once saved you are a new creature, you start down a path of wanting to follow Christ and obey God’s laws. We are no longer under the Old Testament law, but we are under the period of Grace given by God, because of the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, the death of our Lord and Saviour.

There are many Christians who don’t really understand what this transformation means, from law to grace. Many I believe think it means we have it easier and can do what we want, even sins, as long as we confess the sin.

That is very far from the truth, for example, under the law, if you looked at your neighbors wife and lusted after her, it was not good, but not a sin. It was a sin if you actually committed the act of adultery with her. Of course, the words him and her can be reversed as a wife can lust after a neighbor’s husband.

Under grace, if you lust after a neighbor’s wife, and think sinful thoughts you have committed a sin. Grace, is a more “strict” form of righteousness as each person is responsible for their own lives and the decisions they make in life.

The Bible is clear in the verses below, if you commit sin, there is a penalty, death. This does not mean lightning will come out of the sky and kill you as soon as you commit one sin. It means every form of sin, even mental ones, eventually lead to problems, which could and most of the time do, reduce your lifespan on this earth.

They do not help you in preparing for eternity either. There are some sin’s that lead to an expedited death and many lead to depression (also caused by many other things in life). Depression in our lives, place a heavy burden on our souls and lives. I am constantly amazed at the number of suicides each year, by all age groups, including kids.

We see these examples in the scriptures as well, regarding Judas and Peter betraying Jesus, our Lord. Judas because of the sin consuming him went out and hung himself. Peter we see went off and wept and asked forgiveness.

I think Peter still had that sin bothering him for the rest of his life, and as far as we know he never denied our Lord’s name again. As bad as we think our sin is, and as lost as we feel in life sometimes, we have the saving knowledge that our Lord and Saviour will never leave us nor forsake us. He will be with us through the fires of this world.

Under Grace we need to be especially on guard against sin in our lives, and strive every minute of every day to surround us with God’s word, His music, and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

If we do sin, and we will, it is who we are, we are to ask forgiveness and change our ways, never to commit that sin again. If we do not, sin will scar us in some way and lead us to an early grave, and an eternity knowing we did not do what we should have for our God. One day every Christian will answer before God for what he or she did on this earth. Please think about the following passage of scripture and continue to have a close walk with our Lord.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 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? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:14-23)

In Christ,