The Daily Word: Monday, July 20th, 2020
2 Chronicles 1:1-3:17
Romans 6:1-23
Psalm 16:1-11
Proverbs 19:20-21
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? – Rom. 6:1-2
Romans 5 concludes with a profound statement: “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more…” (Rom. 5:20). But as Romans 6 begins, the Apostle Paul clarifies some things. Notice Romans 5:20 is in the past tense: where sin “abounded,” grace “abounded” much more. Scripture is talking about your past: your life before you met Jesus. Sin abounded! But Jesus died, “…while we were still sinners” (Rom 5:8) to atone for our sin. Jesus rescued you from your mess so that you would finally be free to live for God.
I often hear Romans 5:20 misquoted. People say, “Where sin abounds [present tense] grace abounds much more.” But that is not Truth. It is meant to convey that even if you intentionally sin, God will wink at you and everything will be okay. So Paul here asks the pressing question that many of us have grappled with when receiving the Gospel: “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” If I know forgiveness is my portion, can’t I just go out and sin as much as I want, knowing that God will forgive me when I’m done?
Paul’s answer is emphatic. “Certainly not!” No!!! The fact that we have been forgiven should not embolden us to sin more; it should shake us to the very core to such an extent that any desire to sin is completely uprooted. When you receive God’s grace, you don’t have an excuse to sin; you finally have the strength and the power through God’s Holy Spirit to live a life of purity and faith.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for purging me of the desire to sin. I love You, and I love Your Word. I will live my life in obedience to You and Your Word, in Jesus’ name! If it’s in Your Word, I will do it. If it’s not in Your Word, I don’t want to hear it. Period, and amen.
Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.
See commentary from this day in 2018.
See commentary from this day in 2019.
© Michael D. White, 2020. All rights reserved.