Discontinued

Good morning and welcome in everyone.   Today I want to take a look at a passage of scripture from the book of Romans.

Romans 6:1-2  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Grace is given to us by God for a specific reason, so that we can turn from our sins, and eventually become an overcomer of the sinful nature.  This is why the scriptures teach us to depart from iniquity.

2 Timothy 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

The Lord Jesus taught to go and sin no more.  God wants us to end the sin issue in our lives.  Genuine faith will result in faithfulness and obedience to the will of God.  He died on the cross so that we could turn from our faults, and serve and obey Him in love.  Why would someone profess to be a follower of Jesus, yet they won’t do what He commands?

Luke 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

To follow Him, means to love and serve Him with an obedient heart. Some people feel that Christianity allows gives them the liberty to live whatever way they want, and it doesn’t matter if they get involved with sin.  That’s not grace.  It’s not even love.  These kinds of people really don’t get it.  Numerous places that profess Christ actually teach these wicked ideologies as the truth, because there is no fear of God before their eyes.

2 Corinthians 6:1  We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

God gives us the precious gift of His forgiveness that is found in Jesus Christ, but you should never receive it in vain.  Vain, in the sense that it doesn’t result in a changed life.  Receiving it in vain means that it served no purpose, and was pointless and futile in your life. The gift of God never really had any value or importance to you, being ineffectual and fruitless.  When you continue to do something, it means that it goes on day, after day, after day.  To sin is to completely disobey and disregard the teachings of Jesus.  Impenitence is a refusal to correct yourself, remaining in a state of sinfulness, without any Godly sorrow, and without any change.  In that state, they aren’t walking in the true grace of God, they are living a lie.

Romans 6:15-18  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

You have to recognize why God gives us grace, it is for a purpose.  

For example, why would I present you with the gift of some professional paint, and an easel? Would you recognize why the gift was given?  Would you understand that it was given so you would paint some pictures?  In like manner, God gives us grace to change. If the change doesn’t happen, then the gift that has been giving to you wasn’t very important to you in the first place.  After all, it was fruitless.  Christianity is about being given a free gift of opportunity from God, to undergo that sanctification process in our lives.  It’s about purifying ourselves from sinfulness, and walking in loving obedience to God.  This is the message that the apostles and disciples were preaching to the world, the gospel of repentance.

Matthew 4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

Luke 13:1-5  There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

If you cannot turn away from your sin, you will die in your sin.  God gives us grace, not to continue in sin, but to depart from it, so that we can go on, unto perfection.  The first part of repentance has to do with a heartfelt apology, expressing your desire to change. We can come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need, but ultimately it needs to result in a complete conversion, and transformation, to inherit eternal life. This is going to require obedience to the truth.  Salvation is a process of walking day by day in the faith.  You must put one foot in front of the other if you’re going to walk into town. The same is true of the Christian life.  Each day we must walk in the faith, changing from what we used to be, to what God wants us to become.  Even the Apostle Peter had a past, and underwent this change.

1 Peter 4:1-3  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

The Apostle Paul had a past.

1 Timothy 1:12-15  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

You can never become a saint, if you are going to continue to live as a sinner.

Romans 6:1-2  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

So the next time you walk into the local grocery store, and can’t find a product because they just don’t carry it any more, I want you to remember,……sin in our lives is also a product, that needs to be….

…….Discontinued.

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious goups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️

tlkjbc.com