Shall We Continue?

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? 

Romans 6:1-2 

Justification is an act of God’s free grace. Sanctification is a work of God’s free grace. In sanctification the Holy Spirit renews us in our whole person after the image of Christ. He enables us to die more and more to sin and to live unto righteousness. Whereas before salvation we lived in sin, practiced it with enthusiasm, and loved it deeply, now we have a different relationship with it. Our text says we have died to sin. This means that what drove our life in the past does not have the power to drive it anymore. Therefore, although it is certainly possible for us to engage in sin, there is no absolute necessity for us to do so. Paul is transitioning from his presentation of justification to his presentation of sanctification. Sanctification is an ongoing progressive work which God does in us over the course of a lifetime. It does not mean that we never sin. Rather it means that God is changing us over time to more closely resemble Christ. Thus, when we make decisions as to what we will say or do what is acceptable to God, holds sway in our thinking process and the actions that follow. Therefore, we do not, ‘continue in sin that grace may abound.’ We continually look to Christ, and in following Him we move farther and farther away from what He came to remove. 

Our Gracious Master and our God, 
we rejoice at Your work for us. 
We praise You that it results in Your work in us. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning