Figuring Out the Flesh in Faith
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2 (KJV)
Question: Since God loves sinners, then why worry about sin? If God gives grace and forgiveness to sinners, then some people would suggest why not sin more frequently to receive more grace? Therefore one can conclude that I could commit more sin in order to capture more grace, right?
Before I offer a response, I was reminded of a statement of prohibition made popular by the Pepsi Corporation in 1993. They produced a commercial featuring Shaquille O'Neal that begins with him playing hoops at a street basketball court. A little kid notices him, and exclaims O'Neal's nickname, "Shaq".
O'Neal, noticing that the kid has a Pepsi in his hand, walks over and says "Hey, can I have it?"
He bends over, supposing that his admirer will give him the soda, but the kid refuses, saying: "Don't even think about it!" Suddenly, a sound simulating that of a scratched record is heard, and the commercial ends with the Pepsi logo and slogan.
So when the flesh opines on the rationalization of rebellion, championing carnal conduct , we don’t hear just a scratched record but the transcendence of truth and a shout from the Spirit saying “GOD FORBID!” or “Absolutely not!”
God’s grace can never be diminished or disfigured into some delusional and devilish doctrine. Consider and capture what the Word of God declares about grace:
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (KJV, emphasis added)
“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:17 (KJV)
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Titus 2:11-12 (KJV)
Our opening text challenged us with a question: “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Before we visit the question, did you notice that Paul used the word sin in the singular and not plural? The apostle is not pointing to the practice of sin or the multiple manifestations of sin but the source; the flesh or sin nature with which we were all born.
Deeply loved by God: sin is not cool, hip, an oversight or misstep. It is not to be embraced, sensationalized or dismissed and defined by sophistication or secular and psychological terms such as maladaptive behavior, dysfunction, oppositional defiance or creative exhibitions of personal liberties. This is the attitude promoted by the world as well as liberal, lying laymen who have abandoned the authority of Scripture and have aligned themselves with man-centered ministry as opposed to Master-centered ministry. Sin is transgression against the law of God and an act of death as it separates us from God.
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4 (KJV)
“For the wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23a (KJV)
So have you figured out that the flesh is not your friend or a faithful companion? Should we give the flesh more self-esteem so he can solidify his strongholds in our minds? I encourage you to eviscerate the fleshly influence, escape his grasp and be gripped by the grace of God.
For the Glory of God,
PBKSR