Giving gifts is one of my favorite things to do, especially around Christmas time. Last year, I gave my niece and nephew the board game Clue and taught them how to play. They loved it! We had a blast playing the game together. When I gave them their gift, I expected them to use it and play with it often, and I am proud to say that they do. After all, gifts are given to us with the expectation that we will use them responsibly. For followers of Christ, this includes God’s gift of grace. You see, His gift of grace carries with it a responsibility to accept His grace and live in light of the great grace He has shown us.
Paul wrote about the grace of God and how Christ followers are to respond to His grace in Romans 6. He began the chapter by asking a question, “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace?” (verse 1). In other words, Paul is asking in this verse whether grace gives followers of Christ a license to live however we want, knowing that if we sin, they can ask God for forgiveness. Paul answered this question with a resounding “Of course not!” (verse 2). The proper response to grace is not to keep giving in to sin, knowing we will be shown grace. You see, God’s grace should motivate us to live differently from the rest of the world, walking away from sin and living in obedience to Him instead. That is why Paul continued writing in Romans 6, “Now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life” (verse 22). Christ offers freedom from the power of sin in our lives. He also calls us to live in the freedom from sin that is available in Christ Jesus, not out of duty, but out of love for our God who has shown us great grace. After all, God’s grace is the greatest gift we have ever or will ever receive. In other words, God’s great grace should motivate us toward faithfulness, or walking in a way that honors Him. Any other response either undermines the extravagant grace we have been shown or takes advantage of God’s grace.
God’s grace toward each one of us is extravagant. It is a gift. Like any gift, we are responsible for how we receive His gift of grace. The question we have to answer today is, “How will we respond to God’s grace?” Will we undermine God’s grace, failing to recognize just how amazing His grace truly is or take advantage of His grace, or will we accept it freely and live like those who have been changed by His grace because, indeed, we have? God’s grace changes everything, friend. He offers it to each one of us as a gift. Will you accept the extravagant grace He has shown you and live like someone who has been changed by His grace?
God’s great grace should lead us all to worship. For the next few moments, listen to the song “Amazing Grace,” and worship Him. Praise Him for His great grace and all that He has done for you! He is worthy of every ounce of worship we can offer Him.
“God, Your grace truly is amazing. I praise You for…”
1Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. 21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
