August 18, 2002

UNDERSTANDING GRACE

Romans 6:12-14

   Our sanctification operates in the new sphere, "newness of life," which presupposes justification as an accomplished fact. This brought us peace with God and "access by faith into this grace wherein we stand" (Romans 5:1-2). Our new condition, "oneness with Christ" assures freedom from bondage expressed thus, "sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law, but under grace" (6:14). This is the language of heaven, the air of the new creation, but great care must be exercised as we focus on this new freedom while we yet live in our mortal bodies.

   We know all too well the frequent response when folks hear that we are "not under law, but under grace." The mind plays tricks or twists such that our liberty is often mistaken for license to sin. Biblically our liberty recognizes the Lord, "Whose we are, and Whom we serve" (Acts 27:23). But license casts away all restraint, denies all responsibility, and acknowledges no lord but self. Romans 6 & 7 were written to make this distinction clear and refute the associated errors.

   Paul made two parallel statements, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" (6:1), and "Shall we continue in sin, because we are not under law but under grace?" (6:15). Both show a close tie between sin and law. The first error fails to understand grace, for "grace reigns through righteousness" (5:21) which refutes any notion of our continuing in sin. The second error is that "freedom from law" equals "freedom to sin." We read, "Being then made from sin, we became bondslaves of righteousness" (6:18). The dominion of sin and death is explained in 6:3-14, and dominion of law is explained in 6:16-7:6. But "the body of sin is destroyed" (6:6), and "we are delivered from the law" (7:6). This is how God delivers us from both!

   Liberty is to be used, not abused. Jude 4 warned of some who "turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness." Peter warned of using liberty "as a cloke of maliciousness" (1 Pet. 2:16). Paul besought the Corinthians to "receive not the grace of God in vain" (2 Cor. 6:1), and Titus, that "the grace of God...teaches us that denying ungodliness and world lust we should live...godly in this present world" (2:11-12).

Ivan L. Burgener