Can you go on sinning ?

I’m being attacked for preaching grace!

Two years ago, at the end of my rope, at the bottom of the pit, crying out to God to rid me of my sin, He revealed this to me:

That my righteousness and holiness did not depend on what I did, but on what Christ did for me.

He revealed to me that Christ had defeated sin on the cross and therefore I didn’t have to.

He revealed to me that no matter what mistakes I make, however much I ‘miss the mark’, however much I ‘sin’ (I have come to loathe this horrible English word) before God I was still righteous, because my righteousness was a free gift.

I could not earn my righteousness. I could not make myself more holy.

To God, I was perfect, because of Christ’s sacrifice.

Nothing I could do could make me more holy or righteous. Christ achieved it all for me.

For this revelation, which I have to say has set me completely free of any self-condemnation and has made me feel like I’m soaring on eagles wings, I have to thank my dear sister in law, who told me about the preaching and teaching of Joseph Prince.

The grace of God is better than we could ever imagine.

The gospel, the good news, is better news than we could ever possibly hope for.

Even though we are born into sin and are natural sinners, God has cleansed us, supernaturally, by the blood of Christ.

By one sacrifice He has made us holy, righteous and ‘perfect forever.’

By once sarifice He has made perfect forever those who have been made holy.

– Hebrews 10:14

Amen!

However, just as Paul received accusations of preaching a licence to sin (which he answered so powerfully in Romans 6) so am I having to deal with this, as are many others who have been blessed enough to have also received this amazing revelation of God’s grace.

I’ve been accused of being a ‘liar’ – by another Christian, no less! Such love! I’ve been accused of preaching a ‘licence’ to sin.

But we’re in good company!

Just as Paul was accused of preaching licence, so was Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones.

He responded with this:

First of all, let me make a comment, to me a very important and vital comment. The true preaching of the gospel of salvation by grace alone always leads to the possibility of this charge being brought against it. There is no better test as to whether a man is really preaching the gospel of salvation than this: that some people might misunderstand it and misinterpret it to mean you can go on sinning as much as you like because it will redound all the more to the glory of grace. If my preaching of the gospel of salvation does not expose it to that misunderstanding, then it is not the gospel.

If my preaching of the gospel of salvation does not expose it to that misunderstanding, then it is not the gospel.

Preaching the gospel is many things.

Paul calls it work, a task, a promise, a blessing, and woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

But it is also a challenge. It takes energy. It takes stamina, especially when under attack.

But the truth is, the gospel of grace is amazing!

It is too good to be true.

We are completely, utterly, astoundingly free.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!

If God is for us, who can be against us? It is God who justifies!

There is, therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ !

I quote Dr. Martin again:

“There is no better test as to whether a man is really preaching the gospel than this: that some people might misunderstand it to mean you can go on sinning as much as you like. If my preaching of the gospel of salvation does not expose it to that misunderstanding, then it is not the gospel.”

Amen!