There are some who have taken the freeing power of Jesus and created a system where they use their freedom as an excuse to sin. Why shouldn’t I have the freedom to do whatever I want, I am forgiven for it. This mentality may work for a moment but to create a life and routine reveals the heart of the man. One can only dance around in the snake pit so long before they are bitten.
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Romans 6: 1-2
The grace extended to us on the cross was sufficient to cover all our sins past, present and future. But it was never meant to become an excuse to sin. The power of sin was defeated but sin will not be completely destroyed until the day the enemy is thrown into the pit of fire and the new heaven and new earth are put in place. As Paul writes to the Romans we don’t need to dabble in sin to prove the grace of God. He displayed that already for us on the cross and when we accepted his forgiveness.
When we accept Jesus as our savior and redeemer his grace removes the sin that we give him to remove. We accept his grace but there are times where we hold on to sin and tuck it away trying to hide it from him. Those secrets that “he doesn’t need to know about” are not really hidden from him. If we don’t give them to him it becomes like a cavity, it may not bother us right away but one day if not treated will become an unbearable pain we will have to deal with, it will be exposed. If we do not deal with it then the temptation to live in sin will be increased.
Before we accepted Jesus we were living in a cheap motel room, when we turn our lives over to him he checks us out of that flea-bitten motel room and checks us into a 5 star hotel. So why then do we insist on returning to the cheap motel room? It could be because we feel comfortable there, or all our stuff is still there. Jesus asks us to leave that all behind. He promised life and life abundantly, we need to stop clinging on to the things from our past that kept us from him. This doesn’t mean we have to change our personalities to follow Christ, our uniqueness is a trait of God. But we need to leave behind all the things and traits that cause us to sin. To use an old cliché, we need to Let Go and Let God. Let go of the things that work to hold us back from our new life in Christ, and let God show us how to live life in freedom. You won’t be disappointed with your choice.
As you read this today I am asking you, are you living life anew and fresh in Christ? Or are you trying to incorporate your old life, walking through the same snake pit you were before accepting his grace? Maybe you haven’t accepted his grace yet but have heard all about it and want to. This could be your first time hearing that Jesus loves you and wants to connect with you. Whatever the case I pray that you will see God for who he is and that he loves you. The creator of the world loves you and completed a plan to free you from sin.
Father, I pray today that those reading this will step out of sin and live lives aimed at walking with you. It isn’t easy and we all make mistakes, but we choose to follow you. Thank you for your grace and how it has freed those who accept it. Move among your people to share this grace with others by telling them about you and inviting them to church. For those reading this who have not yet experienced your love, I pray that even today they will experience you for who you are. Use me today. Amen
50 Days of Pray 