Everything is Permissible

Q: If Jesus has given us "grace" for every sin (past and future), is it ok to "live" any way you want to?

A: "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer (Rom 6:1-2)?" There is your answer. It is not "okay" to sin or to live any way we want. However, whether okay or not, we will sin daily until the day we die regardless of how hard we try not to. Thankfully, God is not judging us for our sins anymore because of the cross (2 Cor 5:19). However, we will never understand the grace of God until we admit that we are free to sin. We are told not to use our freedom to indulge the flesh, but serve each other in love (Gal 5:13). In 1 Corinthians 6:12 we are told that "everything is permissible," but not everything is beneficial or to not allow ourselves to be mastered by anything. Until we realize this truth, we will always be a candidate to be put back under some form of law. Titus 2:11-12 says that it is the "grace of God" that "teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." We have to be careful not to fall for the lure of Satan.

How often have we been told or told others that "if" they love God they will be "obedient to His Word"? It sounds good, but that is the moment you recognize that somebody is about to get you focused on your flesh. And whether you are trying to increase the sin in your life or trying to restrain the sin in your life you are, as Romans 8:5 says, setting your "minds on the things of the flesh." We will hear people say if you love God you will go to church, tithe, forgive others, honor your parents, not gossip and so on. But, what is the penalty for not doing these things? Well, that is when people will call upon the grace of God and say that you then just confess your sins and get forgiven and try harder next time. This is living life under the law. For one thing you will never be obedient enough. Secondly, the wages of sin is death, not confession or asking forgiveness. And third, the motivation for being obedient is normally to get your flesh blessed. Your motivation for the Christian life is not get blessed by God through your attempts at being obedient and repentant to rules, precepts, doctrines, laws, etc. Your motivation for the Christian life is trusting in and depending on the Holy Spirit to guide you from within.

It is not our love for God that compels us, it is His love for us that does. "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died (2 Cor 5:14)." When we live our lives we don't say I love you God so watch my obedience. We say, "thank you, Lord, for loving me" and then allow Him to love others through us. It is not about "living any way we want to," although we are free to do so, it is about is what I am doing an act of love and consistent with who I am in Christ? A totally different mindset then most Christians have. My challenge to the saints is to answer one question. "How is it that the grace of God teaches you to say no to ungodliness?" The answer to that question will set you free from performance-based living, focused on your behavior, and allow you to rest in the sufficiency of God's grace and His life in you. Be blessed.