We have a deep problem with grace in the body of Christ today! And it’s not what we think. Can we go too deep into grace? If so, what are the consequences? And what do we really not understand about grace? So what is the problem with grace?

Romans 6:1 NIV What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

We are talking about the big S-word today, SIN!

If we continue in grace, does it give us permission to do anything we want without consequences? By not means! Sometimes I wonder if 2000 years ago was all that different than today. The Christians of that day had the same fear as the Christians of today. The big fear is that if we have all this new freedom in grace that the sin nature will take over thinking there are no consequences to our behavior.

Let me be clear right here: If we sin there WILL be consequences. On this earth. There is such a thing as sowing and reaping on this earth. However, the punishment for our sin eternally has been paid by the blood of Jesus.

In other words, the eternal punishment of hell has no power over us if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ. We are completely forgiven through believing in Him, and have a right standing with God the Father regardless of our behavior. We receive a free gift of righteousness, regardless of our behavior.

 

BUT our behavior still has consequences on this earth with people and everything around us. So just because we have freely received this incredible grace doesn’t mean we should do any and everything just because we can. Will God love and forgive you even if you go off the deep end? Yes! But will it destroy some things on the earth? Yes!

 

The purpose of grace is to let the past go. It’s so that we can come boldly before the Creator’s throne without guilt, condemnation, and shame. We are completely clean and holy before him and are completely acceptable to Him. When we use this right standing to go to him, he then transforms us into the image of Christ. And his image is love.

 

Sin is opposite of love. Now that we have received this beautiful and amazing grace, what’s left is love. The problem with grace is that the church doesn’t really understand it. If we meditated on how forgiven we really are and how deep his grace goes, we would run to the Father in gratefulness and he would transform us into his image.

 

So the more we understand grace, the more power we have over sin.