THE ABUSE OF GRACE: The Apostle Paul
dealt with the abuse of Grace in many passages, including Romans 5:21-6:2 (John’s
translation): “Just as our sin nature has ruled us and will cause
our physical death and eternal separation from God in Hell, so also our right
standing with God will allow God’s enabling power to rule us, providing
heavenly life of endless duration through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we
say to this? Shall we continue to allow
our sin nature to rule us that God’s saving grace and mercy may increase more
and more? God forbid, may it never be!
How can we who have died to our sin nature continue any longer to spend
our life under its control?” How indeed...
We are either slaves to our past, slaves to our
habits or slaves to God. Either our sin
nature will rule us or God will rule us. Grace gives diplomatic immunity: “But
where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom. 5:20B NKJV). The grace of God has been given in greater
measure than needed and will always be “more than enough” for sinner’s with a
repentant heart. This in no way implies
we should flagrantly sin and presume upon God’s grace. “Shall we continue to allow our sin nature to
rule us that God’s saving grace and mercy may increase more and more? God
forbid, may it never be”! The phrase “God forbid” used in this passage is the
strongest Greek idiom for repudiating a statement, and does not indicate when
or how God forbids. We don’t know when
we have gone too far, when we have crossed the line where God’s merciful Grace
is no longer available. God’s Grace is
not automatically applied to those who sin willfully; the existence of grace
and mercy do not guarantee application if one does not seek and desire God’s
help. If a born again believer willingly
and deliberately commits sin, with full knowledge that it is sin, there simply
is no guarantee of abounding grace. Access to God’s throne of grace may be
justifiably denied. Such a believer spurns and tramples underfoot Christ’s
atoning work, treating as common, unholy and profane the precious blood of
Jesus, and insulting and outraging the Holy Spirit, the one who imparts Grace (Heb.
10:26-31). Grace is amazing and awesome, but it is not ours to fragrantly abuse
and wastefully expend. Nowhere does God’s word teach a Grace that supersedes
God’s command to holiness or demand for Justice.
THE
ABUSE OF LOVE: John made the primary
assertion that "God is Love." 'God" has the definite article and
"love" is anarthrous; the predicate is expressing the quality,
character, or nature of the article here. This means, God as to His nature
is love, He has a nature that is loving. But God is not literally ‘Love”,
God is not an emotion! John also states “God is Spirit” using the same Greek
grammatical construction; God has a nature that is spirit, not physical or
visible. John also said “God is Light” and in Him is no darkness at all.
Paul said God dwells in unapproachable light... His glory, the metaphor being
God’s brilliant glory penetrates the sin darkened soul of man. The Psalms tell
us “God is a Just Judge”, and God calls Himself “A Just God” in Isaiah. God
applies justice within His own infinitely wise council neither needing nor
heeding the council of man. The Bible states categorically, unconditionally and
repeatedly that “God is Holy.” The standards of God’s holiness were not
created, they exist as an integral part of His nature, from eternity past to eternity
future, and they are not negotiable. Much of the N.T. is about the
reconciliation of God's Love and God's Justice, which is found in the cross.
God's holy demand for Justice made the cross necessary, providing the
opportunity for His Love to be demonstrated. We simply cannot dissect God's
nature and attributes, He is infinite in all of His perfections, holy in all
His ways. It would be most foolish to think God’s love for us would somehow
override His command to holiness or His demand for Justice. Blindness of this
magnitude is motivated by man's desire to "help" God by tweaking His
message. "Cool" and "Relevant" are the “in” gospel
adjectives, the mortar of which strongholds are built. But God... well, He is
still the same...
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