18. Walking in Grace
Being right with God should lead to growing in holiness and producing good works but growing in holiness and producing good works can never make us right with God.
Romans 6:1 (ESV) What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
In our previous two readings, we reflected on the amazing grace of the Father’s total and unfailing forgiveness. We are like the workers in the field who only worked one hour but received a full day’s wage. We deserve judgment, but we receive mercy. He will always forgive us no matter what we do, and He wants us to run to Him whenever we sin so He can make it right.
The Apostle Paul explains the wonder of God’s grace in Romans chapters 3 to 5. These are chapters we should read and reread many times to allow the truth of grace to saturate our hearts. In these chapters, he points out that we are made acceptable by God through faith alone, and we have absolute peace with Him.
Having shared the revelation of salvation by grace, Paul then raises a question at the beginning of chapter 6. “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” Paul’s answer in the next verse is an emphatic no!
To appreciate the conviction of his answer, consider how the following translations present the first part of verse 2.
No, we should not! Contemporary English Version
By no means New International Version
God forbid King James Version
Certainly not! Good News Bible. Today's English Version: That’s unthinkable! God's Word
Of course not, New Living Translation
May it never be! New American Standard Bible
With this question, Paul asks, if we are saved by grace alone, does it matter how we live? If God will always forgive us, what is the point of trying to maintain a good life? Paul’s answer is clear. When we experience the totality of the Father’s forgiveness, it transforms us on the inside. It influences our hearts and changes the way we want to live.
To understand the expected response to grace, we must realise the difference between two theological truths: justification and sanctification. These are separate works of God in our lives. Justification is the Father’s work of making us right with Himself through the redemptive death of Jesus on the cross. Sanctification is the process by which we grow in experiential holiness through our ongoing relationship with Him.
Here is the balance. Justification should lead to sanctification, but sanctification can never lead to justification. Let me say that again without using these theological terms. Being right with God should lead to growing in holiness and producing good works. But growing in holiness and producing good works can never make us right with God.
We have seen that because Jesus paid the price for our sin, we have total forgiveness, and there is nothing we can do to add to this. God saves us by His grace and grace alone.
Ephesians 2:8 (ESV) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
He does not just forgive us, however, and then leave us unchanged. When we open our hearts up to Him, He brings about a change in us on the inside. We become new people, and He commits to working in us as we receive His love and grace.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Philippians 1:6 (ESV) And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
This means we can walk in confidence and freedom, knowing that He will never condemn us when we fail. But will also continue to help us grow to be the people He has destined us to be.
Further reading: Rom 5:1; 6:1-14
Spend a moment to thank Him that you are saved by grace and grace alone, and that He is doing a good work in you and will never give up on you, even when you fail.
This is an extract from my free book Knowing God as Father, which is available for download at Knowing God as Father.