Is Grace a License to Sin?

Is Grace a License to Sin? We live in a world where God’s holiness is spurned, even within the Christian circle. Anyone who preaches about holiness is labelled a legalist, while those who promote licentiousness are held in high esteem. Have we ever sat down to ask ourselves why God sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world? This should not be a difficult research topic because we would find the answer in both the Old and New Testament! In Genesis 3:15, for instance, God told the devil clearly that He would redeem humanity from his dominion with the Seed of a woman.

 Isaiah 53 tells us how this Seed, called the “Suffering Servant” will achieve this feat. Verse 10 says, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him, He hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall proper in his hand.” When an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream to allay his fears on his pregnant fiancée, Mary, the angel told him that the child in Mary’s womb will “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

What does it mean for us to be delivered or saved from our sin? 1 John 3:8 declares that anyone who practices sin belongs to satan. In 1 John 1:9, John communicated God’s assurance that if we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness or pollutions arising from such sins. In essence, a disciple of Jesus Christ is not expected to practice sin – wilfully disobey God; but could unwittingly offend Him. When he does so, the Holy Spirit that lives in his heart will convict him of that sin, and he will repent of it and receive God’s forgiveness.  

So, why are many institutional churches promoting licentiousness (sinning consciously), in the name of grace? It is pertinent to note that this issue was also a concern to early church fathers like Jude, the Lord’s brother. He said in verse 4 of his epistle, “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Why is God’s holiness offensive to some “Christians?” Hebrews 12:14 is emphatic that we cannot please God without holiness.

It is also important to emphasise that we do not make ourselves holy by merely observing or obeying the Law of Moses, under which we received the 10 moral Commandments of God. If the observance of the Law was all we needed to please God, then Jesus died in vain. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 tells us that only God Himself can sanctify our spirit, soul and body, and preserve them blameless for the Kingdom of His Son.

How do we attain God’s holiness practically? The answer is in Romans 8:3-4, 9 & 14; Galatians 5: 16, 24&25. These verses summarise the entire teachings of Paul the apostle on the new life we receive from Christ. Verses 3 & 4: “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: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Verse 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.” Verse 14: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God.” Galatians 5: 16, “This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Verses 24&25: “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

 In summary, living the new life in Christ or being a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) is only enabled by the Holy Spirit. Sin is the nature of satan (John 14:30; 1 John 3:8). Therefore, we cannot overcome it in our own strength. Paul emphasised this in Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

The devil is certainly not omnipresent, that is to say, having the ability to be everywhere at once. So, he uses demons and fallen angels to pollute humans and cause them to disobey God. The only Personality that has the capacity to empower us to defeat these demonic hordes is the Holy Spirit.

 It is therefore not surprising that many institutional churches are opposed to operations of the Holy Spirit. They spuriously claim that the Holy Spirit only manifested His nature and power in the early church, despite not having any Scripture to defend their ungodly position. In John 14:16, Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will be with His followers forever. Peter reinforced this in Acts 2:39, when he told repentant Jews on the day of Pentecost that God’s promise to pour out His Spirit is for them and their children, and for all who are far away (including the Gentiles), as many as the Lord will call.

 Those who promote sinful lifestyle in the church, in the name of grace insult God’s holiness. Grace is divine enablement for us to defeat the flesh, satan and the world. It is not a license for us to sin, for we do not need any grace to sin. It comes naturally from the gene we received from Adam, as stated in Romans 5:12 and 1 Corinthians 15:21 &22. Romans 5:12: “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all have sinned.

1 Corinthians 15:21&22, “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” Daniel 12:2 tells us that there are two destinations, for all that would be quickened or resurrected on the last day: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

In conclusion, those who practice sin (consciously disobey God) are still living in the flesh, and are under the dominion of satan because he operates through the flesh. Such people actually present Jesus Christ, the Son of the thrice-Holy God as a “minister of sin.” The good news is that God is merciful and that repentance is a channel for us to receive this mercy.

If you have been deceived by your pastor or whatever label your minister chooses to promote himself; into believing that God’s grace gives you the license to sin, you need to repent of your folly today. God will forgive you and cleanse you of the pollutions from satan’s kingdom if you repent of your sins and forsake them. It is also important for you to remember that sin is the nature of satan, while God’s essence or nature is HOLINESS. Only you can choose which is desirable to you.