Have you turned the Grace of God into a license to sin?
Jude carries in it a warning that we some have turned the Grace of God into a license to sin, then we should make sure that we do not. How do you know if you have? What can you do to ensure that you do not "turn grace into a license? Have your leaders done that to you?
These questions are good to ask, and discussion should be encouraged in this regard.
Firstly we must note that it is agreed amongst theologians that if you present the gospel of grace correctly it will lead to the inevitable question "So I can just sin then?" Paul had to address this question 3 times and Michael Eaton, John Piper, Martin Lloyd Joes, Rob Rufus, Terry Virgo and Charles Spurgeon all agree that this question will come up when grace is presented. If you've never faced this question, then you've probably never preached a grace message.
Secondly, it is important to answer this question well. Paul gave it a lot of attention, and so should we.
How to avoid turning grace into a license to sin.
1) Be careful when you preach Grace to the unsaved.
If you present grace to unsaved, or those who think they are saved, you may give them license to sin. Cruelly keeping them in their life of sin, while thinking they are ok. The fruit of salvation is that we want to do what is right. This is the proof of salvation, proof of a regenerated spirit, and proof that we've made the transition into the new covenant, and into His kingdom.
A life of love to God , is manifest by a changed person in regards to his attitude to sin.
I John 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God
I John 3:6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
Of coarse we all still sin (thank God for His grace), but if truly born again we don't want to.
So if someone blatantly develops a sin theology, in order to justify sin and continue sinning, it would seem neither loves God or is truly born again.
Jesus makes his followers "eager to do what is good"
Titus 2:14 …who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good…
If this fruit does not exist, question the salvation experience.
Wayne Grudum gives some helpful advice in this area in his chapter on perseverance of the saints in his book "systematic theology" chapter 40, and in chapter 34 on regeneration.
In Ezekiel's prophecy concerning the new covenant chapter 36v
26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
If a heart does not want to follow the way of the spirit, it is still stone, not regenerated it is then unsaved.
2) We must preach the "By no means" of Romans 6:2. We must explain that this does not mean that we just go on sinning mindlessly. We must explain that in the new covenant the Holy Spirit teaches us right from wrong, and that it is good to choose the "right" in those teachings. We must make sure that we teach that the Holy Spirit, will give them the power to do the correct thing, and that sin no longer has power over us. We must co-operate with the Holy Spirit as he leads and guides us, in His work of sanctification in us.
3) We must teach Titus 2
" 11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,"
The fruits of grace are, saying no to, ungodliness, worldly passions, and produces self control, upright living and godly lives. If we understand grace right, and if it's "working", these positive fruits result.
4) We should see an outworking of faith in a body. Friendship, fellowship, accountable loving relationships and fathering. This discipleship process enables "the truth to be spoken in love". Grace and truth operate together, and this is the environment.
5) We must saturate people in the presence of God.
Grace is about good relationships. Good relationships with God and people. Is relationship with God being strongly emphasized? If were believing for people to live from a place of knowing and being with God, we need to ensure we are doing all we can to help eachother to have and maintain that presence. I'm sure well all agree that it is very difficult to be continually intimate with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit when we are in a dreadful sinful disobedience. Were also trusting and believing that his presence comes, and sets us free from problems, helps us and strengthens us, leads us in all truth and empowers us to live godly lives. The presence of God also releases the "fruit of the spirit" in and through our lives.
If we don't have a solid understanding of grace WE WILL NOT ACCSESS THIS PRESENCE IN A CONTINUED, SUSTAINED MEANINGFUL WAY IN OUR LIVES.
An important role in leadership becomes, helping/facilitating/ensuring people are full of God. Rick Joyner says "the role of the church is to fill people with God". Leadership wages war on anything that hinders that (Gods sustained manifest presence), and we teach people to do the same.
So facilitating the move of the Holy Spirit, and allowing His work, helps avoid the "license to sin" issue.
6) Study other credible grace teachers to ensure that you've "got a good grip" on the correct theology.
7) If you're leading a community or church, get outside perspective from other apostles, prophets, teachers, preachers and evangelists (and don't just go to sources you now support your leanings). Be accountable in your theology, and invite correction. I personally send my preach every week to about 6-8 guys inviting correction/criticism/comments. I find it reassuring in wondering if my theology and emphases are in place. Make sure you get a broad spectrum here, don't only consult teachers, who can have a tendency to follow the "letter" and often miss "the spirit", so involve people with all the gifts.
Don't believe everything you hear about grace, test it for yourself. Alot of trouble comes when we simply believe what we hear, process it, test it, digest it.
8) Encourage intimacy.
Encourage people to be in Him, and with Him.
9) People will become who you are.
Hebrews 13:
"...7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace,..."
Consider the faith and life of those who lead you. Do you want to imitate their life and faith? Are they holy people? Do they love God? How are their families? Are their communities (churches) healthy? Do they operate in the gifts of the spirit? Is there positive fruit? (Healings, signs and wonders, salvations, personal growth and maturing)
Remember people catch what you have and not what you say you have…Bob Mumford's law of mumps and measles.
"If you say you have mumps, but have measles, what do you think people will catch? They will catch what you got...measles"
The point is study the life and the fruit of those who lead you, it must be positive and desirable, and this is a great safeguard for you.
10) Resist the urge to preach the law.
It may become easy to fear being "open to the charge" of perverting the grace message. The natural response would be to start to lay down the law. To preach Gods wrath, and punishment and fear and in so doing undo the work of grace, and release condemnation.
The body of Christ needs to mature into the place where we can learn to live in obedience to the king without manipulation, control or threat. Romans 8:1 clearly stated there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. It then encourages us to live as those who are lead by the Holy Spirit, true sons of God.
Keep people free; keep people in love with God. Preach Justification by faith alone and Gods gift of righteousness, otherwise people will fall back into performance and works. Intimacy will be lost and with it the power for life and godliness.
I hope these 10 points will help you to evaluate if you are safely preaching the glorious gospel of Grace, without making it a license to sin. I hope this helps you choose leaders who will preach a biblical grace to you, and keep you in the type of freedom that Jesus wants for you. I hope this brings a correction if you preaching grace as a license. I hope it helps you understand the "environment" in which grace is preached.
If you believe grace gives you a license to sin. Change your heart, and repent.
Please feel free to criticize/comment/correct/.
Colossians 1:6 All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.
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