Sin and Grace

“Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don't submit again to a yoke of slavery.” ~Galatians 5:1 HCSB

I have been thinking a lot about sin.  We all struggle with it.  Sinclair Ferguson said this, “But this freedom from the dominion of sin is not the end of our struggle against sin.  In fact it is the beginning of a new conflict with it.  For while we have died to sin, sin has not died in us….it remains, and it is still sin.   What has changed in not its presence within our hearts, but its status (it no longer reigns) and our relationship to (we are no longer its slave).”  As a Christians how do we live with this new relationship with sin?  

First we have to recognize our sin.  Randy Alcorn writes this “Only one who is deeply aware of his evil tendencies will be humbly take the necessary steps to guard his heart from sin”.  It is only when we understand the depths of our sin can we begin to understand the height of God’s grace.  We must keep before us the cross of Christ.  He was nailed to the cross along with our sin.  He died for you and me.  We did nothing to deserve this incredible display of grace.  This act not only removed our sin but it also gave us a new standing with God.  We are now adopted, heirs to a throne, a children of God Himself.  

This new status for the Christian changes everything.  The Christian can endure their life long struggle with sin with confidence because of our new identity.  With the Holy Spirit indwelling us empowering us to obey Christ rather than sin.  But the key is we do not put our confidence in our own abilities to defeat sin, but our confidence is in God’s grace.  It all starts with the way we think about our sin.  Charles Spurgeon put it this way: “Too many think lightly of sin, and therefore think lightly of the Savior”.  Again Alcorn writes, “Grace isn’t about God lowering his standards.  It’s about God fulfilling those standards through the substitutionary suffering of Jesus Christ.  Grace never ignores or violates truth.  Grace gave what truth demanded: the ultimate sacrifice for our wickedness.  

God’s grace is greater than my sin. But my ability to measure the greatness of his grace depends upon my willingness, in brokenness before him, to recognize the greatness of my sin.  “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).  The proud deny their evil; the humble confess it.  A profound awareness of my evil should move my heart to praise God for the wonders of his grace.” (Randy Alcorn “If God is Good”)       

Lord help us to live in your grace!  Lord help us to understand the depths of our sin.  Lord help to see your incredible act of grace displayed though the cross.  The cross where you took upon yourself the penalty of my sin.  Lord enable me to humbly obey you through your Holy Spirit.  Amen