“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?” Romans 6:15 -16
It seems that I am in more conversations over law and grace than ever before. On the one hand are those that hold a firm hand on the law. On the other hand are those that believe that grace covers all as long as you are not convicted by a particular sin. It appears that Paul is saying that we are not any longer under the law, but that grace is no license for the believer to live in sin. Christ fulfilled the law, but He did not abolish godly living. Titus 2:11-12, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
It does not matter how we feel about a particular sin if God is against it. If you are not convicted about eating meat offered to idols, eat it; but if so doing in the presence of your brother in Christ is an offense to him, then why be an offense to him? However, if you think that you can drink alcohol, commit adultery, lie and steal simply because you “feel” no conviction, you are sadly mistaken. God has spoken concerning these things, and it does not matter how we “feel” if God is against it. There are a great many verses to address these issues, but I am writing today to people who should be well aware of them.
Years ago I was acquainted with a lady who was not in our camp. She invited me to a meeting where a woman was preaching. I asked her how she got around Paul’s admonition that the woman was not to teach men? She said, “That is Pauline doctrine.” I asked what doctrine she looked to for living. She said, “Oh, we practice self doctrine.” In other words, every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Sorry, we have been bought with a price and we are not our own anymore.
Paul challenged Timothy in 2 Timothy 2 to be a good athlete. He told him that he would have to “strive lawfully.” Even in the New Testament era there are rules to keep. There is so little difference in the church and the world anymore. I love you guys dearly, but if you decide to follow Demas back to the world please have enough character to resign from World Wide New Testament Baptist Mission.
What do we have to offer the world if we are just like them? Paul could not have used a stronger term when addressing this issue of sinning under grace. He said, “God forbid.”
I pray that God will use you in a wonderful way to display the gospel this month in your teaching, preaching and living. I look forward to seeing several of you in Greensboro, NC, next month. We will have a wonderful time.
In His Service,
Danny A. Whetstone