What is grace? We hear a lot of people talk about it. We read a lot about it. Yet, the meaning still somehow alludes us. So, what is it? What is grace? Before we explain what one aspect of grace is, let us explain what it is not.
Grace is not a license to sin. This seems simple enough. However, we live in a time when this truth must be clearly stated. The reason we must clearly state that grace is not a license to sin is because many people, even in the church, wrongly define grace. They define grace as turning a blind eye and deaf ear to people and letting them live how they want to live, say what they want to say, and do whatever they want to do in any given situation. No matter what, we are just supposed to “give’m grace”. That is not grace. That is a license to sin that will lead to moral anarchy which will lead to a break down of the family, church, government, and culture. Grace is not a license to sin.
Grace does not give people a license to sin. Instead, grace works in people and through people in spite of their sin. As grace works in people and through people, it empowers people so that they can overcome their lifestyle of sin. In essence, grace conquers sin! Consider the Apostle Paul’s words on this matter.
“Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”(Romans 5:20-6:2 ESV). (Emphasis added is mine)
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!”(Romans 6:12-15 ESV) (Emphasis added is mine)
That’s grace! It is “God’s unmerited favor and blessing bestowed upon individuals of His choosing who can not earn it and do not deserve it”. This grace leads us to repentance which leads us into a lifetime of sanctification, or Christian growth, in which the Holy Spirit is working in us and through us to conquer our lifestyle of sin. It’s not that we become sinless in this present life, but we do sin less. Grace conquers sin so that it no longer has dominion over us! That’s grace!
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