A Controversy Settled
Romans 6:1-2
In Paul's day, as in ours, there were many
who, when they heard the gospel of free justification in Christ, by grace,
without works, cried, "Antinomianism! That doctrine will cause men and
women to live licentiously!" That is always the response of natural
religious men to the gospel of free grace. Because self-righteous men and women
are mercenaries, because they serve God for gain, because legalists serve God
for fear, they cannot understand the principles of grace. They cannot imagine
men and women living for Christ, being constrained by nothing but gratitude and
love.
God's people know that grace is glorified
not by the commission of sin, but by the forgiveness of it, not by encouraging
sin, but by putting an end to it. Grace never causes men and women to love sin
and pursue it. Grace causes us to hate our sin and seek to be done with it.
Paul says, "How shall we, that are dead to sin,
live any longer therein?" Such a thought is as repulsive as it is
unreasonable!
Believers are dead to sin. We are not dead
to the influence of sin (Rom.
Believers do not live in sin. To live in
sin is to give yourself up to it, be bent upon it, be
controlled by it, find pleasure in it, and make room and allowance for it.
Though sin lives in us, believers do not live in sin. We live in Christ! We are
bent upon him, controlled by him, find pleasure in him, and make room for him.
It is our joy to follow Christ and be like him.
Paul has settled this controversy forever,
insofar as the doctrine of the gospel is concerned. Now let it be settled in your heart and mine. Grace does not promote
licentiousness. Grace promotes righteousness!
Don Fortner