I have been thinking about this post for a while, and just before service Sunday, I posted a praise note to God for the great provision of His saving grace. In that post I quoted a passage from Romans (which I have copied here, for your convenience). Here are some thoughts that I wanted to share at that time.
OLD THOUGHT
Abounding Grace is not only what affords us everlasting life, in the world to come (1), it transforms us into victorious soldiers of the cross, here and now (2), and it conforms us to the image of Christ, in this present evil world (3). Abounding grace provides more for us to experience and enjoy and employ in our daily walk, than sin took from us (4). Woooo hoooo, Praise His Name. He not only forgives, He delivers from the penalty, the power and the pollution of sin. He cleanses the trusting believer from ALL SIN (5). He makes us more than conquerors (6), and causes us to always triumph in Christ (7). Though Adam gave us the "carnal mind" (the sinful nature), Christ sets us free from the "old Man" (8) We are not only saved from the judgment of God, we are saved from the "law of sin and death," through Christ (9). If a believer sins, God will forgive him, when he trusts Christ (10), but, He will also deliver from temptation, so that we need not sin (11).
NEW THOUGHT (at least for me to articulate in this way)
Almost as soon as a Christian advances the truth that we can live in obedience to Jesus (12), and that we are saved from sin (13), and that we can live in righteousness, all the days of our lives (14), someone is sure to raise certain arguments.
References for (footnotes) are in my comment box below.
I. "Are you saying you do not sin?" And they ask this in order to ridicule the believer, ridicule the doctrine of deliverance from sin, and ridicule the One Who provides full salvation (walking in the fullness of the blessing; being filled with all the fullness of God).
Remember, they are asking the wrong question. The question is not if someone is living without sinning (they would not believe it anyway). The question should be, "Is living without sinning the Biblical standard and the Christian norm?"
The reason they ask the wrong question is because they want to argue with the other person's answer (whether legitimately or not) and accuse the other person, thus justifying their own disobedience to God. They cannot actually argue with God's revelation (though they deny it and change it). They are trying to prove that sin is greater than grace and salvation and God. I find it interesting that sin sayers are always interested in my sins, though I do not have a real desire to know what their sins are.
II. "We are all sinners, still having the old nature." Don't these people ever read the word of God? The Bible is clear that those who are walking in light and trusting fully in Christ are cleansed from ALL SIN, that we are not in the flesh? Again, it is a matter of claiming that sin is greater than grace, salvation and God.
III. These arguments are straight from the devil, because Satan is the accuser of the brethren and he lies against the power of God to save from all sin. If we have sin, we need to trust and turn. However, we should not let the defeatist raise doubts concerning God's abundant grace. We should not allow false doctrines to rob us of our victory and joy. Sin saying does not glorify God, or His salvation or His grace.
Sin is a real problem, which must be honestly addressed. But denying abundant grace is part of the problem, not the answer.
Romans 5:18-21
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
PASSAGES...
Group 1
Matthew 19:29
(29) And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Mark 10:30
(30) But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Romans 6:22
(22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Group 2
1 Corinthians 15:57-58
(57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 John 5:4
(4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Group 3
Romans 8:29
(29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Colossians 3:10
(10) And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Group 4
Romans 5:20-21
(20) Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
(21) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Group 5
1 John 1:7
(7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1:9
(9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Group 6
Romans 8:37
(37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Group 7
2 Corinthians 2:14-17
(14) Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
(15) For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
(16) To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
(17) For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
Group 8
Romans 6:6
(6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Ephesians 4:21-24
(21) If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
(22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
(23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
(24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Colossians 3:9-10
(9) Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
(10) And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Group 9
Romans 8:1-9
(1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
(3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
(4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
(6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
(7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
(8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Group 10
1 John 2:1-4
(1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
(2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
(3) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
(4) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Group 11
1 Corinthians 10:13
(13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Group 12
John 14:15
(15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 15:14
(14) Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
1 John 5:2-3
(2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
(3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Group 13
Matthew 1:21
(21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Group 14
Luke 1:72-75
(72) To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
(73) The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
(74) That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
(75) In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
(29) And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Mark 10:30
(30) But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Romans 6:22
(22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Group 2
1 Corinthians 15:57-58
(57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 John 5:4
(4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Group 3
Romans 8:29
(29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Colossians 3:10
(10) And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Group 4
Romans 5:20-21
(20) Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
(21) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Group 5
1 John 1:7
(7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1:9
(9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Group 6
Romans 8:37
(37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Group 7
2 Corinthians 2:14-17
(14) Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
(15) For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
(16) To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
(17) For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
Group 8
Romans 6:6
(6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Ephesians 4:21-24
(21) If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
(22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
(23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
(24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Colossians 3:9-10
(9) Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
(10) And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Group 9
Romans 8:1-9
(1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
(3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
(4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
(6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
(7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
(8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Group 10
1 John 2:1-4
(1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
(2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
(3) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
(4) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Group 11
1 Corinthians 10:13
(13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Group 12
John 14:15
(15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 15:14
(14) Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
1 John 5:2-3
(2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
(3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Group 13
Matthew 1:21
(21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Group 14
Luke 1:72-75
(72) To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
(73) The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
(74) That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
(75) In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
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