Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 4
April 30, 1953
NUMBER 51, PAGE 10a

"That Grace May Abound"

J. A. Thrasher, Bloomington, Indiana

The lesson Paul plainly teaches in Romans 6 is that Christians are not to continue in sin with the idea that God's grace will much more abound. Before their conversion they had been servants of sin, but when they were immersed into Christ, having "obeyed that form of doc- trine," they had been made free from sin. To continue in sin would have been incompatible with divine teaching.

It seems that the apostles were slanderously reported to have ordered their disciples to sin, that grace might abound — in their pardon. Nowhere do we find any such apostolic teaching. Paul, himself feared that he might become a "castaway," if he did not keep his body under, which certainly means that he avoided sinning, as all Christians should.

The grace of God, comprehending all that he has done through Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church and the gospel, is a wonderful thing for men to contemplate. Seemingly, God and Christ have done all that is possible to save men, and have thus shown a supreme desire for all men to be saved. All this should appeal strongly to all rational beings.

The goodness of God is calculated to lead men unto repentance, as taught in Romans 2:4. While this was directed to the Jews, who failed to respond to that goodness, it will equally apply to all others. "I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come." (John 8:21)

Having been made free from sin, shall we go ahead sinning with the idea that God will display his wonderful grace in forgiving us? We should know better than to pursue such a course. If we knowingly, intentionally and defiantly sin against God, we shall scarcely humble ourselves enough to repent, and without repentance, how call we hope for pardon, regardless of how much we may think that grace will much more abound? To act after such a manner is to tempt God, and this is extremely dangerous.