“BY NO MEANS!”

Romans 5:20—6:4                                  (ESV)

20 Now THE LAW CAME IN TO INCREASE THE TRESPASS, but WHERE SIN INCREASED, GRACE ABOUNDED ALL THE MORE,

21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 What shall we say then? ARE WE TO CONTINUE IN SIN THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND?

2 “BY NO MEANS!” How can we who died to sin still live in it?

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into CHRIST JESUS were baptized into HIS death?

4 We were buried therefore with HIM by baptism into death, in order that, just as CHRIST was raised from the dead by the glory of the FATHER, we too might walk in newness of life.”

The song “The love of GOD” was written in 1917 by Frederick M. Lehman.  The second verse of the song reads “When hoary (gray or white with or as if with age) time shall pass away, And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall; When men who here refuse to pray, On rocks and hills and mountains call; GOD's LOVE, SO SURE, SHALL STILL ENDURE, All measureless and strong; Redeeming grace to Adam's race The saints' and angels' song”.  Writing these lyrics in way does the song justice, but I pray the message is clear?

One person has stated that “Grace is Love that cares and stoops and rescues”.  GOD’S LOVE was demonstrated to man most when HE sent HIS SON among us, both as an example of HOLINESS, and as a SACRIFICIAL SUBSTITUTE for we who were CHOSEN before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4).  GOD’S GRACE is immeasurable and without end, but we mustn’t take it for granted, or cheapen it’s majesty.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German theologian and minister, wrote a book entitled “THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP” in which he wrote that cheap grace was "the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ."

The Apostle Paul was writing to the church of Rome that “BY NO MEANS” were Believers to become so enamored with GRACE that we lose sight of the price it cost JESUS CHRIST!  We don’t have an unlimited “credit card” to sin, basically defacing the LOVE OF GOD!  THE LAW CAME IN TO IDENTIFY AND INCREASE THE TRESPASS, but also to say that JESUS freely accepted the debt of THE CHOSEN when HE went to Calvary, IN OBEDIENCE TO THE FATHER!

We are CHOSEN to “...deny himself and take up his cross and follow ME” in Matthew 16:24.  Our “cross” means that our selfish desires should be sacrificed on the altar DAILY and we should follow HIS LEADERSHIP, much like the Israelites in the wilderness followed THE CLOUD (Exodus 13:22)!  Enjoying “sin” only lasts for a season (Hebrews 11:25), but SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT (Numbers 32:23)!  “BY NO MEANS” should we ever think otherwise!