At first it may sound oxymoronic and go against every fiber we assume to be biblical. After all, if God's grace can cover the width and depth of sin, how can it possibly make a difference what I am doing?

When Paul wrote the letter of Titus, he encapsulated grace. Simply put, the biblical story of grace is that through Jesus God has extended to sinful humanity an unearned gift called salvation. Titus 3:3-7 Being that it is unearned, anybody can be saved without reference to their prior character and deeds. Accordingly, salvation by grace provides a universal solution to the decay of sin since all people are capable of relying upon Jesus regardless of their personal history. Although His greatest act of grace is found in Christ, the grace of God also incorporates bestowing various other unearned gifts toward man. Ephesians 4:7-8; Hebrews 2:4.

But there is more to God's grace than just giving something which is unearned. In Titus 2:11-14 grace is described as dictating what constitutes an acceptable response to God. As a disciple's eyes turn toward heaven waiting for his Lord's return, grace teaches him to reject everything ungodly while embracing what is righteous. This is not an enlarging of the umbrella of personal liberty into previously forbidden territory, rather grace reaffirms and reinforces what God already was demanding from His people.

Accordingly, both Jude 4 and Romans 6:1-2 pierce to the heart of a false concept of grace. Grace does not provide anyone with a license to do anything which was previously wrong. It does not create new parameters of liberty nor teach us that "this no longer matters because grace will cover it." Instead grace teaches us to abstain from what was and is wrong.

However, this is not to say that grace has not provided freedom. It has. But it is freedom from the necessity of perfecting observing the Law in order to be declared righteous. Galatians 5:1-6 While it is true that there is freedom in Christ, the nature and extent of this liberty is determined by the doctrine of Christ, not the concept of grace. Galatians 5:1; Romans 7:4-6 Grace does not alter what is acceptable to God. What was wrong remains off limits.

Praise God for grace. Not only does it provide a salvation we could never earn, but it casts a guiding light upon the path we are to walk!

Other articles which might be of interest:

A Thief, Grace and Serving God

Praise God That It Is Not Fair

Similar Stories. Different Messages (Different understandings of grace)

The Gravity of Grace

Justified by Faith (Not by works)

Obedience & Justified by Faith: Forcing Square Pegs Through a Round Hole?

Barry Newton, Copyright © 2001

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