GRACE, Your License to SERVE; Not to SIN

GRACE, Your License to SERVE; Not to SIN


In Matt 24:3-4, Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives, and the disciples came unto him privately saying, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” And Jesus answered and said unto them, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Jesus plainly stated that in the end times, deception would be the order of the day. This is ever true in our culture and even in the Church.

One of Satan’s main devices against the Church is deception, or “truth out of balanced”. Satan can’t get true Believers to believe a down right brazen lie, but he does a good job in getting Believers in the ditch on one side or the other, keeping Believers out of balance with Scripture. This is an old trick that he tried on Jesus, the Righteous One. Consider Satan’s deceptive attempt with Jesus and how he used Scripture out of balance. In Luke 4:9-12, Satan brought Jesus to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence for it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” This was a deceptive move but Jesus answered him according to the Scriptures. Jesus said, “It is written that thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Jesus knew the truth and would not have thrown himself down (committed suicide) to prove His Son-ship or spirituality. He was balanced and rightfully divided the Word of Truth, thus Satan was not able to get the best of Him. Timothy encourages the Believer to rightfully divide the Word of Truth.

As a Pastor I am amazed at the many excuses Believers use to continue to willfully sin while stating that God’s Grace will abound and is sufficient. Many believers have taken the Grace of God to use it as a license to sin against Him, rather than a license to serve Him. Come on Church, let’s get this right! Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbids!

• Sin is rebellion against God!

• Sin is to know to do well (good) and do it not!

• Sin is missing the mark!

• Sin is all unrighteousness!

• Sin is transgression against the law!

And many more scriptures define SIN for us. You search them out!

So where does deception or “truth out of balance” come in? When the Believer finds and uses Scripture to make provisions for their flesh and to justify sin rather than repent of it. The Word of God is a balanced scale of TRUTH; it always makes one free and can be trusted. Just to name a few truths that Christians use out of balance…

The Bible says... “All have sinned.”

The Bible says…“You who are without sin, cast the first stone.”

The Bible says...“Don’t judge.”

The Bible says...“Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm.”

The Bible says…“Love covers a multitude of sin.”

I need not go on; you get the point.

Yes, there are many scriptures that deal with sin, but none are given to justify it. God’s perfect work of grace in our lives is applied when we repent, and confess our sin. Scriptures on “SIN” and “JUDGMENT” are the most commonly misused truths taken out of balanced from the Bible than any other scriptures by far; “GRACE” scriptures are second. They are use most of the times to escape the evaluation or potential penalties of another when asked to give an account for ungodly behavior and actions. If we would keep in line with the Word of God then we can get a Godly answer and a response that will lead to right standing with God every time. Consider these two Kings, David whom God sent Nathan the Prophet and Saul whom God sent Samuel the Prophet. In today’s climate these men behaviors would be considered “no ones business and that is between them and God” and be dismissed as “mere faults” that every man has, however God does not see it that way. He sent the prophets who judged (evaluated) the Kings and their works. The Prophets did what God had instructed them to do calling their deeds wrong and administered God’s punishment. Although David repented, his son still died (consequence); yet he (David) remained in God’s favor and became one of Israel’s greatest Kings and was called a man after God’s own heart. Saul, on the other hand, did not receive the Word of the Lord from the Prophet neither did he repent nor turn from his own way and perished at war by the sword (consequence).

What are the phases you use when you are confronted with your sin?

Do you use the scripture to excuse your sin or do you confess it, turn from it and ask God for His Grace to stand that you may serve Him. This is the Biblical order for the Believer.

Paul, by the Holy Spirit, lays out the order for the Church to operate in Church Discipline. Although this is not a popular teaching, nonetheless it is in the Word of God and must be obeyed. In 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, he encourages the Church to judge those among us who practice sin and not to keep company with those who do. Religious people see this as being harsh, and that God could not have meant what Paul wrote. They fail to understand that all Church Discipline is designed to be RESTORATIVE AND NOT PUNITIVE. The love of the Father is to keep us in fellowship with Him and sin still separates us from Him and He does not want us flirting with it in anyway. This is why He sent His Son, so that sin would not have dominion over us.

Come on Soldiers of the Cross, let’s gird up our loins with truth and apply it correctly. Let’s not make excuses for sin in our lives or be afraid to call it out in the lives of other Believers. Make yourself accountable first to God, His Word, a local fellowship of Believers (Church), and to a Pastor just to name of few. Jesus is soon to return and we who have this hope purify ourselves as He is pure…SELAH!

Prayer:

Father, in the Name of Jesus,

Thank you for your Grace that you so amply supply that I may serve you wholly. Without your grace, I am nothing and can do nothing. I know your provision through your Son frees me from the power of sin when I trust and obey your Word. Lord, I trust you to forgive me and cleanse me of all unrighteousness when I confess my sin. I will not make excuses for my sin but I will run to you for your grace that I may serve you. I will not use grace as a license to sin but as a witness of your love for me causing me to want to serve you with my heart. Thank you Father for your love for me and your amazing GRACE!