Where grace abounds, or where
sin abounds, grace does much more abound. Wherever you find
sin abounding, you will find grace much more abounding. What a wonderful thought. What
a glorious truth. Wherever sin abounds, grace does
much more abound. Just like sin reigned unto death,
you can't prevent death. Even so, grace reigns. You can't prevent grace. Aren't
you thankful? Through righteousness unto eternal
life, which is by Jesus Christ, our Lord. Now, What is my response
to this? What is my personal response
to this glorious truth? Where sin abounds, grace does
much more abound. The Apostle Paul anticipates
an inference that men will draw. Well, if that's the case, if
wherever sin abounds, grace does much more bound. If that's the
case, let's continue in sin that grace may abound. Now, there are two people he
is speaking to when he makes this statement. First, he's speaking
to the legalist. What do I mean by that? Well,
someone hears this message of grace, saving, sovereign grace,
grace that won't take no for an answer, grace that saves,
electing grace, redeeming grace, justifying grace, regenerating
grace, calling grace, keeping grace, preserving grace, glorifying,
the grace of God, saving grace. Somebody hears grace saves that
way and they say, well, this This will lead to sin. I mean,
where's responsibility here? Where's responsibility to do
good, where is a motivation to holiness, where are good works
here? If all this is is grace, why
all this will do will lead to a sinful course of life. This
won't lead anybody anywhere, but in a bad direction. Now that is the response of the
legalist. And then he's also speaking to
the licentious. This person who says salvation
is by grace. Well, therefore, it doesn't matter. Whether I sin, it doesn't matter
because salvation is by grace. It doesn't matter about my conduct
or my character or about how I conduct myself or about which
sins. Salvation is by grace. It's all
covered. All sin is covered by the blood
of Christ. I don't need to worry about it.
I can sin all I want. Don't have to worry about a thing
because salvation is by grace. Now, both of these responses
are evil. This response of legalism, evil. This response of licentiousness,
evil. Using the grace of God to excuse
a sinful course of action. And in this passage of scripture
that I just read, Paul tells us it's impossible that the preaching
of grace can cultivate any of these or either of these attitudes. Those who respond in a legalistic
way, haven't heard. They don't understand. Those who respond in a licentious
way, Lord's never done anything for them. What should we say
then? Shall we continue in sin that
grace may abound? Paul knew that that would be
what people would respond to this message. When I talk about
salvation being all grace, all of grace, it has absolutely nothing
to do with your works. All that counts is the grace
of God. That's it. That's it. As far
as our standing before God, it has absolutely nothing to do
with our works. What is my response? Well, some,
as I've said, will say, well, that'll lead to sin. That's antinomianism. That's what that'll lead to.
That's an antinomian. Anti against law is what that word means.
I don't know how many times I've been called an antinomian. Martin Luther said, you've never
preached the gospel if you haven't been accused of being an antinomian.
And I believe that. I believe it with all my heart.
You preach grace in such a way as people will make this objection. Look at Paul's answer. Shall
we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. Now that's strong language. God forbid, perish the thought. How shall we that are dead to
sin live any longer therein? It is corrupt to think that grace
can lead to sin. It is corrupt to think that grace
excuses sin. And that's why Paul said, God
forbid, perish the thought that is absurd. To continue in sin
that grace may abound is like saying, let's continue being
sick so we can be healthy. Doesn't even make sense, does
it? Or let's continue in a sinful course of action. Let's continue
in drunkenness and reveling and so on so we can have all kinds
of grace. That thought is offensive to
our understanding. God forbid. God forbid. How shall we that are dead to
sin live any longer therein? Now, to think that the preaching
of grace will lead to sin is like Lynn saying to me, I love
you and I'm with you forever. And I'm going to be faithful
to you. all the way. Now, what if I said, oh, really,
that means I can do anything I want without any consequence
and you're still going to stay with me? Now, if I had that kind of
attitude, what would that say about me? It would say that I
really don't love her at all, doesn't it? That's all it would
say. It wouldn't, it would show that I don't have any understanding
of this grace at all. How shall we that are dead to
sin live any longer therein." Now, what does Paul mean by being
dead to sin? He says, how shall we that are
dead to sin live any longer therein? If we're dead to sin, how can
we live in sin? What does Paul mean by that? Does he mean he no longer struggles
with sin the way he used to? Does he mean that he can now
go periods of time without sinning? and being dead to its influences?
Is that what Paul means? Well, if that is what Paul means,
I'm in big trouble. And so are you. Now, remember, the best commentary
on scripture is what? Scripture. And you can't read
Romans chapter six and forget about Romans chapter seven. The
two go together. And we can understand what Paul
doesn't mean by looking at what he says in Romans chapter 7,
look in verse 14. And Paul is speaking as a believer
when he says, for we know that the law is spiritual, but I am
carnal, sold under sin. A slave is what the word means,
sold as a slave to sin. That's Paul speaking. I'm sure
that when people have read this, they thought, well, what kind
of what was he doing? What kind of secret conduct did
he have that made him make such a claim about himself that he's
sold a slave to sin? Now, it takes a new nature. a holy nature to see this. The only way you can understand
this is if you have a new nature. If you have a new nature, you
see what that old nature is. Look what he says. He explains
what he says in the following verses, verse 15, for that which
I do, I allow not, I don't approve of it. For what I would, what
I desire to do, I don't do, but what I hate, That do I. If then I do that which I would
not, I consent unto the law that is good. The problem's not with
the law, the problem's with me. Now then, it's no more I that
do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me,
that is in my flesh, my old nature dwelleth no good thing. For to will is present with me,
I would never sin again. But how to perform that which
is good, I find not. He doesn't say I mess up sometimes.
He says I flat out do not find it. For the good that I would,
I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now, if I do that which I would
not, it's no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
I find then a law that when I would do good, evil is present with
me, for I delight in the law of God after the inward man.
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my
mind and bringing me into, what's the word? Captivity. That's a strong word, isn't it?
Bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my
members. Oh, wretched man that I am. Who
should deliver me from the body of this death? And he's talking
about having a dead body chained to you. That's what happened
in prison. You had a dead body chained to
you. Who's going to deliver me from this body of death? And
that's the way a believer thinks of his old nature. It's the body
of death. Oh, I thank God through Jesus
Christ, our Lord. So then with my mind, I myself
serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin. This is not an excuse for our
sin, but it says an explanation for it, isn't it? You understand
something about why you are the way you are. Paul didn't say,
oh, wretched man that I was, but oh, wretched man that I am. It doesn't mean we now feel as
though we have victory over sin. Now, it's true, there are certain
sins. There are a lot of sins we just don't commit, outwardly. You know, when money gets tight,
we don't go ahead and hoist a bank, do we? Somebody makes us mad,
we don't pull out a gun and shoot them. Hope we don't. By the grace of God, I have been
faithful to my wife. I mean, there are certain sins,
by the grace of God, we don't commit. Although we've broken
everything in our heart, we realize that. But when Paul says, how
are we that are dead to sin live any longer therein, he's not
speaking of no longer struggling with sin, no longer feeling the
power and the captivity of sin. No, he felt all those things
as he expressed in Romans chapter 7. Now, we don't want license to sin. We want liberty from sin. Now, there are only three responses
to the grace of God. Legalism, licentiousness, Or
liberty? Liberty. Do you find the message
of grace abounding, liberating? The only message you find any
liberation in? Or do you fear it will lead to
sin? And you look at it from a legal
point of view. Or do you look at it as, oh,
I can sin all I want with no consequence. I don't need to
worry. Do you look at it that way? That's licentiousness. It's
not a true response to the grace of God. Legalism, licentiousness,
or liberty. You find it a liberating message. Now, notice he says once again
in our text in Romans chapter six, verse two, God forbid, how
shall we that are dead to sin? live any longer therein. Look what he says in verse 11
of the same chapter. Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves
to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Now, would God say reckon yourself
to be dead to sin if you weren't dead to sin? No, and he says,
and this is given in the form of a command. This is in the
imperative. You reckon yourself to be dead
to sin, dead indeed to sin. And here's why. You are dead
to sin. Now, what in the world does that
mean? You're dead to sin. We'll look in verse three of
Romans chapter six. Know ye not that so many of us
as were baptized into Jesus Christ, every one of us, which were baptized
into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death. Now this is what water baptism
represents. What does water baptism represent?
Union with the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why this Ceremony is that
what we call it when we confess Christ and believers baptism
we go all the way under the water and when we're under the water
all We don't have one finger sticking outside of the water
when I baptize someone physically I always make sure they're all
the way immersed all the way under so all that you can really
see is I'm in there. You're in there, but you're in
the water. You're not outside of the water.
In any way, you're in the water. And that's what baptism represents,
union with the Lord Jesus Christ. When he lived, I was in him. Whatever he did, I did. I was
thinking of Cammie right now. Cammie's got this little girl
in her right now. Wherever she goes, that little girl goes. She leaves the room, little girl
does too. She comes in, little girl does too. Wherever she goes,
that child is united to her. That's the closest thing of union
we have in a human picture, how dependent that child is upon
her wherever she goes. That's where that child is in
her. Now, you can't see that child,
can you? All you see is Cammy. And I love the way the Lord sees
when he sees me. If I'm in Christ, he sees Christ.
What a wonderful thought. That is the believer's hope.
This thing of union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, know
you not, verse three, that as many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death. And that's what we're
confessing in baptism. When Christ lived, I lived. When
he died, I died. Now, why did he die? Remember,
there's only one reason for death. Sin. The wages of sin is death. And my sin became his sin. I was crucified with Christ. When Christ died, I died. And
what does the law have to say to the dead man? Nothing. I'm dead. You are dead is what the scripture
says. and your life is hid with Christ
in God. When Christ, our life shall appear,
then shall you appear with him in glory. Look what Romans chapter
verse four says. Wherefore, my brethren, you also
are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that you
should be married to another, even to him who is raised from
the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God. Now the death of Christ did something
that no other death has ever done. It satisfied God. It completely satisfied God. It utterly and entirely satisfied
God, and that's why his body did not go through the process
of decay. The moment he died, complete
satisfaction was made. And everybody he died for, God
is completely and entirely satisfied with them. When God raised him from the
dead, all the sins he bore were put away, blotted out. When he closed his eyes in death,
my sin, which is most real, was made not to be. It's what the Bible calls justification. Now, I don't know how many times
I've heard preachers say justification is a legal term. Where's that
in the Bible? You know, I don't find that word
in the Bible. Legal. It's not legal. It's justification. If
I'm justified, that means I never sinned. It means I've always done that
which is right. And I have never done that which
is wrong. That's what justification is.
That's what Christ did for his people. I'm declared by God to
be justified without sin. Truly his death was an accomplishment. Everybody in him, their sin is
blotted out and put away because of who he is, the God man. Now
look in verse four, therefore, We are buried with Him by baptism
unto death. When He died, we died. Now, as I said, what does our
law have to say to somebody who's dead? Nothing. Nothing. The law has nothing to say to
someone who's dead. And the law can't resurrect that
dead person and then punish them again. Satisfaction has been
made. The law has nothing to say to
that one who is dead. Therefore we're buried with him
by baptism unto death that like as Christ was raised up from
the dead. by the glory of the Father. I
love that language. He was raised up by the glory
of the Father. Even so, we also should walk
in newness of life. Now, this is the response to
grace, to someone who has experienced grace. Walking in newness of
life. Now, what does that mean? to
walk in newness of life. There's so much that can be said
about this. I like this first part. Every believer has a new history. How can that be? History is not an interpretation
of what took place. Now, that's what we get. I mean,
we have the, when our kids in school learn history, they learn
the United States perspective of history. Well, we should.
I got no problem with that, but in some other country, they learn
the other country's perspective of that history. In other words,
what we're getting is an interpretation of history. Now, an interpretation
of history is not history. History is the facts. History is what actually took
place. Not my interpretation of what
took place. We all have a revisionist history,
don't we? We all have a way of making our
history better than it really is. But I've said this before, if you gave me a clean slate
and a new start, you know how much good that would do me? Absolutely none. I know that
about myself. I don't need a new start. I need
a new history. And remember, history is the
facts. Now, when he gave me this new
history, here's my new history. All I've ever done is obeyed
God. I've never sinned. I've always
done that which is right. I've never done that which is
wrong. Now, that's justification. And that is what. That's what
Paul said in Romans 6.11 when he said, Reckon yourselves to
be dead indeed to sin. Do you really believe that what
Jesus Christ did without your help is enough to make you like
that? Do you believe that? Do you believe
that what He did with no help from you makes it to where sin
has nothing to say to you? Now that, my dear friend, is
what it is to walk in newness of life. First of all, it's with
this new history. You know, I spend so much time feeling
guilty about this and feeling guilty about that. I remember
hearing somebody say, I never feel, somebody said, I never
feel guilty. I'm like, I always do, always do. I always have
a something I feel bad about, something. There's never been
a time when I haven't felt guilty about something. But bless God,
according to the gospel, I have nothing to be guilty about. I'm
justified and I walk in the newness of that with this new history. To walk in the conscious enjoyment
of that, that's the fruit of faith. Now the reason I have
a new history is because of the New Testament. The New Testament
is what causes this new history, this new covenant, the blood
of the everlasting covenant. That's why I have this new history
is because of the New Testament. And because of the New Testament,
I am a new creature. A new creation, that doesn't
mean my old heart has become better. It means I have a new
heart, a new creation, a new creature that I was not before. I have a new heart, a heart that
loves God. I used to didn't have that. I
have a heart that sees my sin. You know, it's the new man that
owns the sin of the old man. Really, it's only the new man
who can see the sin of the old man. Really, I've got a new heart. I've got a heart that actually
believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and trusts him. Now, I didn't
have that before. That's a new creation. That's
the new heart. It's an answer to that scripture
in Ezekiel 36 when he said, A new heart will I give you. I've got
a heart that actually loves God, that delight in His law after
the inward man. I've got a heart that loves men. A new heart. I have a new nature. Same thing. I have a new worldview. You know,
people say, what is the Christian worldview? There's even, you
know, you know, how do you feel about this moral issue and moral
of that issue? Well, you know, I've got my opinions
about stuff, but it doesn't, but here's my worldview. God forbid that I should glory,
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world
is a crucified thing unto me and I unto the world. That's
my worldview. I have a new rule of life. For
in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision,
but faith which worketh by love. I have a new motive for service,
love to him. I have a new family, the family
of God. I have a new commandment. This
is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. I have a new name. You know what
my name is? Jehovah Tzadkinyu, the Lord our
righteousness. This is the name wherewith she
shall be called Jehovah Tzadkinyu, the Lord our righteousness. I
have a new goal to be perfectly conformed to the image of Christ. I have a new will. Not my will. I want the Lord to strip away
my will. Not my will, but thine be done. I have a new song. Thou art worthy to take the book
and to open the seals thereof, for thou was slain and was redeemed
us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, tongue, tribe,
and nation, and has made us unto our God kings and priests, and
we shall reign forever. Now that's newness of life. To walk, to be dead to sin and
to not live in sin is to walk in newness of life. I couldn't
help but think of somebody once said to Walter Groover. If I
believed what you believed, I'd sin all I want to. He said, oh,
I sin a whole lot more than I want to. And that is the believers
response. Now, as I said a few moments
ago, there are three responses to grace, and only one is right. What is my response? Legalism,
licentiousness, or liberty? What is my response to grace? Legalism. Webster defined it
as seeking conformity to the letter of the law rather than
the spirit of the law. I thought that was a good definition.
What is the letter of the law? Do not do that. Do not commit
that sin. If you commit that sin, you'll
be under condemnation. Do not commit that sin. That's
the letter of the law. It's thou shalt not. And you know, I love God's holy
law. I love the thou shalt nots. I surely do. I delight in the
law of God after the inward man. But that, my dear friend, is
nothing more than the letter of the law. I love the letter
of the law, but the letter of the law killeth. That's all it
does. It doesn't give life. The spirit of the law is the
law's our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. It shows us our
guilt. It shows us that all we've done
is broken every commandment, and it drives us to the Lord
Jesus Christ. That's the spirit of the law.
Now, legalism. You know, by nature, everybody
in this room is a legalist, beginning right here. We all have this
legalistic view of things. The legalist does not see grace
as a sufficient restraint to sin. Why, if I believe that,
I'd sin? Why, you're denying our responsibility
for obedience by saying salvation is all of grace. Where do we
come in on that? You see, the legalist actually
is afraid of grace. He's afraid of grace. He doesn't
really believe that grace is enough. And that's his response. Why? That'll lead to sin. And
then you have the response of the licentious that sees grace
as a license to sin without the fear of consequences. I can sing
along to salvation's all of grace. There's no consequence to it.
I don't need to worry about my conduct. I don't need to worry
about the things that I do. Hey, salvation is by grace. Look in verse 14 of this same
chapter. What a precious promise this
is. For sin shall not have dominion over you. For you're not under
the law, but under grace. That's the reason sin won't have
dominion over you. If you're under the law, it has complete
dominion. The strength of sin is the law. What then? How do we respond to this? Verse
15. Shall we sin because we're not under the law, but under
grace? God forbid. God forbid that we would have
such a response as that. All a man proves when he looks at the grace of
God as an excuse in his sin is that he really only has one nature. He's never really bowed the knee
to Christ. That's all it says. Now, these responses, legalism
and licentiousness are evil. That's all you can call it evil.
But what is the good response? That's the response I want to
have. In Galatians chapter five, verse
one, Paul says, you stand fast in the liberty. wherewith Christ hath made you
free. And be not entangled again in
the yoke of bondage. Now, liberty means freedom. Freedom. Now, there was a missionary
by the name of Bill Clark. Many of you know him. Some of
you don't. He's been dead 15 years or so, but he was a missionary
to France. And he made this statement. Trust Christ. And do what you want to. Really. Trust Christ. And do what you
want to. Now I know this. If you trust
Christ. Your want to has been changed. You got a different want to than
you used to. You surely do. Turn with me to Mark chapter 10. Verse 46. And they came to Jericho. And
as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number
of people, he was on his way to the cross, blind Bartimaeus,
the son of Timaeus, set by the highway side. Begging. And when he heard that it was
Jesus of Nazareth. He'd heard of Jesus of Nazareth.
He heard that he is the one who gave sight to the blind. And
before he ever came into contact with Jesus of Nazareth, he believed
he was the son of David. He proved that by what he cried. He didn't say, Jesus of Nazareth,
have mercy on me. He cried, Jesus, thou Son of
David, the promised Messiah, the Son of God, have mercy on
me. You know what I need? Mercy. Mercy. Oh, I need mercy. Jesus, thou son of David, have
mercy on me. And many charged him that he
should hold his peace. I wonder what he sounded like.
I don't think any of us could demonstrate what he sounded like
when he was crying out for mercy. I could try to scream it out
the way he did it, and it would just end up being false and phony. I can't. I know what my cries
for mercy come from my heart, and it's not audible, but what
must that have sounded like where he ended up saying, they said,
hold your peace, Bartimaeus. He's passing by, just forget
it. But you know what? Anytime somebody needs mercy,
they will never stop crying. Now, if you can stop, it's because
you don't really believe you need mercy. If you need mercy,
you will continue to cry like he did. He cried the more, verse 48 says,
a great deal. Thou son of David, have mercy
on me. And Jesus stood still and commanded
him to be called. And they called the blind man,
saying unto him, be of good comfort, rise. He calleth thee. And he,
casting away his garments, rose and came to Jesus. And Jesus
answered and said unto him, what wilt thou that I should do unto
thee? How would you like for the Lord
to ask you that question? Well, he does. He does. What wilt thou? What do you want
me to do to you? Not just for you, but to you. What do you want? The blind man
said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. Now look what the Lord says to
him. And Jesus saith unto him, go thy way. Not be obedient and follow me
and Although no doubt that is the Lord's will for all of us.
But what does he say? He says, you're free. Go your
way. Whatever way you want to go,
go. You're free. Thy faith hath made thee whole. Go your way. And what did he
do? And immediately he received his
sight. And what was his way? He followed
Jesus in the way. That's what he did. What's my response to grace? Legalism? Well, that'll lead
to sin. licentiousness, a license to sin, or liberty. The only liberation I see is
that wherever sin abounded and I'm the place that abounds, grace
does much more abound. That as sin hath reigned unto
death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal
life by Jesus Christ our Lord. May the Lord enable us to have
this right response to grace. Let's pray. Lord, we confess that we will
have The wrong response, apart from your grace. Lord, we'll look for an excuse
for our sin or even a justification in our sin. Lord, deliver us
from that. Lord, deliver us from seeing
no safety in the message of your grace, because we really don't
believe it. And we believe that and that we would believe that
such a glorious message would lead to sin. Lord, deliver us
from legalism. Deliver us from licentiousness. And Lord, we ask in Christ's
name that we might be enabled to walk in newness of life. Because we have a new master. And have been given a new heart. And we have a new history. Enable us to believe. This message
for the Lord's sake, in his name we pray, amen. What do you got,
Dwayne? 475. 475, we'll stand and sing. you. Redeemed, how I love to proclaim
it. Redeemed by the blood of the
Lamb. Redeemed through His infinite
mercy, His child and forever I am. Redeemed, redeemed. redeemed by the blood of the
lamb redeemed through his infinite mercy his child and forever i
am redeemed and so happy is