Shall We Continue In Sin?

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)

Beloved, we must know and believe that willful sin is NEVER, under any circumstance, acceptable to God.  Apostle Paul wanted his audience in Rome to understand this.  He starts by asking the question:   "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?"  He answered his own question with "God forbid! " So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there?  

That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!

That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Heavenly Father so that we can see where we’re going in our new grace-sovereign country.  The deed to your old habitat should have been released as you were submerged and then re-emerged as a new creature.

Unfortunately,  some hang onto the deed and go back to visit the old place.  As believers in God who have accepted Jesus into our life, when we sin, we must repent. There are many examples in the bible of this.  The believers in Corinth had to repent:

Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.  2 Corinthians 7:9

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.   2 Corinthians 12:20-21

The believers at Ephesus were told to repent:

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works. Revelation 2:5

Christians in Pergamos were told to repent:

Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.   Revelation 2:16

The Christians in Sardis were told: 

Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. Revelation 3:3

This is what the Christians in Laodicea were told: 

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; Be zealous therefore, and repent.   Revelation 3:19

Is there unconfessed sin in your life? Wherever there is sin, there must be repentance:

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   1 John 1:8-9

Because repentance is necessary for salvation, God made a special plan to enable the message of repentance to reach everyone. The call to repentance began in the New Testament with the ministry of John the Baptist:

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way the Lord, make His path straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.   Mark 1:3-4

Repentance was the first message Jesus preached:

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, And saying, the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel.   Mark 1:14-15

Repentance was preached by believers in the early Church:

And they went out and preached that men should repent.   Mark 6:12

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.   Acts 20:21

Today, believers still have the responsibility to spread the message of repentance throughout the world. Jesus gave final instructions to His followers that...

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.   Luke 24:47

When you preach the message of repentance, you are actually calling others to enlist in God's army.  Are you willing to make a commitment to start calling others into this great spiritual army?

If you have accepted and committed to the harvest, then you must know how men are persuaded to repent. Men repent because of:

®     The goodness of God:  

The blessings of God in the life of an ungodly person are not to be mistaken as God's approval of his life style. The goodness of God is one way the Lord appeals to men to turn to Him:

Despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and long suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?         Romans 2:4

®     Preaching:  

The preaching of the Word of God causes men to repent. The preaching of Jonah resulted in the whole city of Ninevah repenting:

The men of Ninevah shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas.            (Matthew 12:41)

®     Christ's call:   

As the Word of God is preached, people hear and respond to the call of Christ which leads to repentance:

I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.     Matthew 9:13

®     God, the father:  

Jesus said no one could come to Him except the Father draw him. God draws men to repentance:

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.   John 6:44

®     Rebuke:  

Rebuke causes men to repent. Rebuke is correction given in love from the Word of God:

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.   Luke 17:3

®     Godly sorrow:  

Repentance may be accompanied by emotion. Natural emotion alone is not true repentance, but Godly sorrow leads to true repentance:

Godly sorrow [for sin] worketh repentance to salvation.   2 Corinthians 7:10

(Biblical Studies)




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