After Grace

Scripture:
Romans 6:1-15 (NIV)

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. 

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. 

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!

Devotional:

Miss conceptions can be very dangerous.  When I was younger I thought that once I was saved all the hardships would just go away.  I thought sin would no longer be an issue.  I believe this is an issue that some believers and nonbelievers struggle with.  After all we are told that there is nothing at all we can do to earn our way into heaven.  It is a free gift from God through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Some believe that once we are saved we no longer have to struggle in this life.  The truth is that we do continue to struggle.  We have to work our faith just as we have to work the muscles in our bodies.

Even as Christians we are going to face hardships.  We have fears, troubles, and worries that will plague us if we allow them to.  If fact Jesus tells us we must take up our cross if we are to follow him.  To me that doesn’t sound like an easy road.  Something I have learned over the years is Satan’s attacks.  He pretty much will leave those who do not believe in Christ alone.  In fact he will even leave the so called “Sunday” Christian alone.  You know the type.  The Christian who goes to church on Sunday morning but by Monday he places God in the back seat of his life.  Satan has nothing to worry about those people.  After all they are not advancing the kingdom of heaven here on earth.  In fact in some cases they turn people away from Christianity.  Satan will attack those few believers who are on fire for Christ.  They are the ones who hunger for God’s word.  They are anxious to get out and win souls for Christ.  These people are the ones that Satan fears and wants to stop.  

Life after Grace is not a bed of roses.  We must continue to “Good Fight” as Paul puts it.  We cannot sit back relax and keep on sinning.  There is an expectation placed upon us that we must keep.  God has work for each of us.  As James puts it in James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”