Butterflies, not caterpillars

Romans 8:1 "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death."

The earth bound caterpillar
I used to watch caterpillars all the time when I was a boy.  They always fascinated me in how they could eat and eat all the time.  A caterpillar by nature does two things: eat and crawl on the ground.  It is governed by the law of gravity.  You don't see caterpillars wriggling their way into the air because their caterpillar nature lives on instinct, and only knows gravity.  The "law of gravity" matches quite well with their nature. 

All human beings born into this world are by nature "fallen in Adam".  By nature unconverted human beings proceed along the law of "sin and death".  Like the caterpillar, unbelieving man lives by his desires and only knows one law.

The cacoon of transformation
When I was watching caterpillars, I would sometimes follow lines of them crawling up trees.  I thought perhaps they were doing that to eat the leaves.  However I noticed something strange.  The caterpillars were building these strange nests!  Then without warning, they would crawl into these cacoons and suddenly be gone.  The Creator of Heaven and Earth was drawing them to do that.  Remarkably, in that cacoon, the caterpillar goes through what many would characterize as a violent transformation - what some may say to be a sort of "death".  The body dissolves, and in the course of time, that lowly caterpillar is "transformed" into a butterfly - what biologists call "metamorphosis".

Romans 12:2 tells us as Christians: "do not be no longer conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...."   That underlined word in the Greek is the word "metamorphize".  Quite literally, when a person is converted by grace through faith, they are transformed.  Their former propensity to "only want to sin" is changed to a desire to "want to sin no more".  The law of the Spirit and life becomes the primary law of their new existence.

The Butterfly lives by the "law of lift"
Unlike the caterpillar, which lives only to eat and crawl on the ground, the butterfly lives to soar and be among the fragrance flowers of God's creation.  It's wings are designed to take advantage of a second law written into the creation - "the law of lift".  The law of lift enables butterflies and airplanes to overide the prevailing force of gravity.  The butterfly is a marvel of creation, whose design values the fluttering of wings and the currents of air. 

Similarly as we see in the verse above, "The Spirit of life in Christ" has freed me from the law of sin and death.  The currents of God's grace enable the flying.  As a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), I am to excercise myself in the fluttering of the wings of my faith through prayer, God's word and weekly worship with God's people. (Hebrews 10:24-25)  As a new creation, my growing desire is to flutter among those things which emit the fragrance of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)  The Holy Spirit Himself works inside of me to live as a butterfly of sorts.  Yes gravity will tug on me, I will feel its alluring force urging me not to fly. However I must remember that as a butterfly, I do not have to live as I formerly did - as a caterpillar. 

Why Temptation?

Romans 7:24-25 24Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Romans 7 is an incredible chapter that helps Christians to come to terms with the daily reality of the battle that wages between the new nature in Christ and the left over remnants of indwelling sin.  We dealt yesterday with why it is that God willed to permit the Christian life to have to deal with sin (and for that matter spiritual warfare)  We concluded that God wants the Christian to learn what it means to desire Him.  Victory will never be desired unless it  goes from a concept of the mind to an experience of life. 

Today's blog deals with an issue that is closely related to but distinct from the Christian's battle with indwelling sin, namely the daily experience of external temptation. 

When you are tempted, remember Christ was tempted
Temptation is not sin.  Many times when Christians are in situations where they are enticed to thing, say or do something contrary to God's will, they immediately feel like they have sinned.  If that were the case, then Christ Himself would had been guilty of sin.  Hebrews 4:15 notes - "15For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin."  To be tempted by sin is one thing, to give into it is quite another matter.  Christ never once sinned in thought, word nor deed (1 Peter 2:22), yet He was tempted relentlessly by the world, the physical limitations of human nature and the Devil Himself. (Please note Matthew 4).

When tempted, remember that Satan tempts, but God tests
1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." Temptation's direct agent is the Kingdom of darkness working against the believer through the world system and the flesh.   James 1:13 plainly states - "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone."

Now we know from scripture's testimony that Satan is the tempter.  Genesis 3 for example has him tempting the man and the woman in the garden of Eden.  To tempt in the original Hebrew and Greek carries with it the idea of: "persuading someone to pursue a course of action for the sake of their destruction."  Whereas the concept of Divine testing in the original languages communicates: "purifying someone in a course of action for the sake of their strengthening".

Christians experience temptation to learn how to be overcomers, just like Jesus
The Holy Spirit by Peter states in 1 Peter 2:21 - "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps."  What was the pattern of Christ's life?  He was tempted just as we were, and He overcame such temptations by means of prayerful dependence upon His Father and the scriptures.  Now we know that Christ was sinless, which distinguishes him from all true Christians.  However, in common with all true Christians, Christ demonstrated what chosing not to sin nor giving into temptations looked like.  

As God, Jesus Christ could not sin.  As man, Jesus Christ would not sin.  In the temptation record of Matthew 4, Christ overcame the Devil by means of prayerful dependance upon God the Father and the scriptures.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, when He was praying "not My will, but Your's be done", Christ was agreeing with the Father in His humanity what He had already agreed to do in Eternity with God that Father - go to the cross.  As God, Jesus Christ could not thwart the Divine will of the cross.  As man, Jesus Christ would not run away from the cross.  He went willingly. 

In these examples, Christ laid the cornerstones for Christian victory.   As Christians have victory moment by moment, over one sin at a time, they progressively experience what Jesus did consistently and without fail - victory.  Even if we do fail (which thankfully Jesus never did fail), we know that when we confess our sins, He is just and faithful to forgive us all our sins, and cleanse is from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9)  In Christ, God sees me as a winner! 

Why Christians have to deal with sin and the enemy

Romans 7:22-23 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

Yesterday we explored the Gospel's Boxing ring in the Christian.  At salvation, though sin's penalty is removed, and even though in sanctification sin's power to dominate is removed, scripture and experience demonstrate that the presence of sin is not removed.  With all that Paul presents in Romans 6 about the victorious Christian life, it would seem that Romans 7 throws cold water on the point of the Christian gaining any ground in the Christian life.  However let me remind the reader of what was stated a few days ago: that in order to live the victorious life of Romans 6, I must needs learn what victory is all about through the conflict of Romans 7 in order to experience the victory of Romans 8. In today's blog we want to outline some reasons why God chose to let the battle against sin and the enemy be a crucial feature of the overcoming Christian life.

1. Sin(s) are a reality in the Christian life, but not a necessity
1 John 1:8 states - "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us".  The presence of sin in the Christian life is not debated by scripture.  If anything, Paul's point in Romans 7 is to explain and acknowledge that fact.  The battle between my new nature in Christ and the left over remnants of sin in my life is a reality.  However, to say that I have to sin is another matter.  Gravity is a force in my life that I encounter everyday.  However as tempting as it may be sometimes to sleep in that extra fifteen or twenty minutes, if I fail to rise out of bed, its not because I had to give into gravity, but because I wanted to. 

2. God willed the enemy to remain here on earth so that we may learn victory
1 John 3:8 tells us that Jesus had come to destroy the Devil's work, however it is clear that the Devil (and by extension his network of demonic forces) were left to roam about freely on this planet. (1 Peter 5:8)  The fact that the possibility of my sinning is present too,  raises the question: Why?  1 John 4:4 tells us concerning our everyday spiritual battle:  "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."  Only when I am in situations where I am desperate for His presence, and see the shortcomings of my strength, will the power of Christ become more dear to me as I live daily for Him in Him.   I will learn to not tie myself too closely to this world's system nor fall for the schemes of the enemy. (Ephesians 6:1-11)

3. God willed to permit the remnants of sin to remain so that we may want to live for Him and not merely "have to" live for Him
Like wise concerning my daily responsibility to rein in the remnants of sin in my soul, 1 John 5:4 states - "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith." If I did not learn what it is like to want to live for Christ amidst hostile forces, all my Christianity would be is an "I have to" approach to godliness.  Faith is not faith unless it is tested. 

4. Wrestling in the Christian life works in us love for God, since love is a choice, not a duty
Notice what trials and temptations do for the Christian.  1 Peter 1:6 "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials".  Romans 5:3-4 "3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope".  And one more, James 1:2-3  "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."  Notice those underlined words?  These affections are produced by wrestling in the faith.  The affections of afflictions are ingredients needed for cultivating love for God. 

The Christian life's boxing ring

Romans 7:14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.

The idea of victory must pass through conflict in order to experience victory
A wise pastor once told me that in order to understand the idea of the victorious Christian life in Romans 6, you have to grasp the conflict of it in Romans 7 in order to experience the victory of Romans 8.  As we come to The Holy Spirit's ongoing discussion of the victorious Christian life through the pen of Paul, we see Paul sharing his pre-conversion life in Romans 7:7-13.  Recognizing who he was before Christ, Paul changes the tenses of his verbs from "things that were" to "things that are now" in his life.

Do Christian's have to sin, or do they choose to sin?
As we look at Romans 7:7-13 and Romans 7:14-25, we see two pictures: Pre-conversion life and Post-conversion life.  In Romans 7:14-25 Paul is describing his Christian life as a boxing ring, wherein two opponents are sparing with one another.  There is "the law of sin" or "the old man, nature" (7:23) versus "the law of my mind", the "inner man" or the operations of the new nature in Christ. (7:22)  As you go down through this verse, Paul describes the interior of His Christian life in relationship to sin:

7:15 "For I am doing the very thing I hate"
7:18 "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not."
7:19 "For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want"
7:22 "for I joyfully concur with the law of God in my inner man"
7:23 "but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war..."

Clearly there is conflict, a 12 round all and all out fight.  The underlined phrases tells us that sinning for the Christian  is a matter of choice.  To sin as a Christian is not "I have to", but rather "I want to".  Even the Great Apostle Paul dealt with this inner boxing ring. They are by position, and are by experience, counting themselves dead to the voice of the sin still resident in their flesh. (please read Romans 6)  However that voice that needles daily in their "old man", if not dealt with and regarded as dead by the believer, will as it were get off the cross and attempt to live. The fight is on, however in the context of Romans 6,7 and 8 we discover one important truth about this boxing match in the Christian life.

Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world
Paul's argument, though showing the boxing match between "the old man" and "the inner man", reveals that the inner's man is much stronger and more skilled than the old man.  The Holy Spirit says through the Apostle John in 1 John 4:4 "greater is He that is in you, and he that is in the world".  The argument carries on into Romans 8 and we read in Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death."  

So is there a boxing ring in the Christian?  Undoubtedly!  Are the opponents evenly matched? Hardly.  My inner man has with Him God the Holy Spirit, living in and through me and expressing Himself by way of my mind, emotions and will.  Even though the presence of sin is still in me, it is weakened and its power to utterly imprison me was taken away.  The argument of Romans 6 for the victorious Christian life requires the conflict of Romans 7 to demonstrate that victorious Christian living is a real thing and not a fiction of some pious imagination. 

What are the purposes of God's Law

Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”

Good cop, bad cop

I'm sure you have watched T.V cop shows that depict two detectives or two police officers interrogating a suspect in a "downtown" questioning room. One cop plays "good cop" - trying to be the suspect's friend for the purpose of gaining the needed information or confession. If that tactic doesn't work, the one cop leaves and his partner comes in and plays "bad cop", wherein more aggressive, threatening means are used to scare the suspect into a confession. Both scenarios illustrate different uses of man's law to achieve a given purpose: acknowledgement of the truth. God's Law too has various uses for accomplishing various purposes, as will be demonstrated in today's blog.

Is the Christian not obligated to God's law?

Some people are under the impression that when one becomes a Christian, the law is no longer needed. They will cite passages such as Romans 6:14 that states at the end: "you are no longer under law, but under grace". Furthermore, they will also appeal to 1 Timothy 1:9 - "realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers." Now the question is: "once a person believes on Christ by grace through faith, are they exempt from the law of God?" To answer that question, we need to first of all look at the purposes of God's Law.

The Three uses of God's law in the Bible

Just like man's law, knowing how the law functions in different cases will result in a clearer understanding of the biblical relationship between law and grace. 1 Timothy 1:8 gives us this principle: "But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully".

The Law's First Use: Discourages Human Rebellion

Romans 2:14-15 states - "14For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them." No matter where you go in the world, there is a universal sense of right and wrong. Why is that? Because the law of God, as revealed on the tablets of stone in the ten commandments (Exodus 19-20) were already inscribed upon the conscience of man. Even after the fall, man's moral nature retained the testimony of God's law on the heart. Thus God's law functions in one sense to curb the tide of social evil.

The Law's Second Use: Demonstrates the sinner's need for Jesus Christ

Whereas the 1st use of the law operates everywhere and all the time, this second use of the law is more evident in the context of the Holy Spirit's call to sinners in the gospel. Paul states plainly in Galatians 3:24 - "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith." When sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, it is vital to first share the bad news of man's condition through the law. It is by the light of the law that we come to know that sin is sin. (Romans 7:7) When Jesus was sharing the Gospel with the rich young ruler in Mark 10, He used the law. The man's rejection of the testimony of the law revealed He was not ready to receive the grace of God through Jesus.

When Paul is writing here in Romans 7:7-13, he is referring back to his pre-conversion days. The law of God came. He thought he was doing good as a religious leader. However when the law revealed him to be an enemy of God, he wanted to inwardly rebel and reject that testimony. However the Spirit of God worked through the needle of the law to prick Paul's heart, preparing it for the scarlet thread of the Gospel to point Paul to Christ. It is this second use to which 1 Timothy 1:9-10 speaks of, revealing the law's use in the realm of evangelism.

The Law's third use: Delighting the Saint in Christ

When Jesus came, He fulfilled the Law of God. (Matthew 3:15). Thus at saving faith, not only is the righteousness earned by Christ's death credited (imputed) to the believer, but also the life that He lived. The Ten commandments function to point us as Christians to Jesus Christ, since it is He who is living His life through us by the Holy Spirit's work. (Colossians 1:27) Its not that I aim to live by "law keeping", rather I can live the Christian life because the requirements of the law are deemed fulfilled in me. (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The Law for the Christian shows us what delighting in Christ should look like

As Christians, though we are saved by grace through faith apart from the law, our salvation is not a faith that operates lawlessly. The Holy Spirit's fruit of attitudes and actions do not conflict with the intent of God's moral law. (Galatians 5:22) When Jesus summarized the entire law in Matthew 22:37-39 as loving God and loving my neighbor, He was showing that God's love, working in and through me, is pictured by the truth of the ten commandments. When He preached His sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, the foundation for all ethics in the New Testament, He used the law of God as His base. Christ fulfilled the ceremonial and civil commands of God's law in Moses, however the moral intent of the law in the ten commandments were revealed to picture Christ in written form.

If anything, ten commandments point to the need for Grace to live the Christian life

The the ten commandments function to show me what should be operating in my Christian life, since they reveal what Christ was like. If anything, Christianity exceeds the law. Law keeping would be concerned about: "what I have to do to get by", whereas Grace filled living goes further and says: "Why would I want to live for the Lord, since He is living in me so that I can live for Him." Delighting in God and not merely rule-keeping was the original intent of the law. As Paul reveals elsewhere in Romans, the Law could not make people delight in God. The Law demanded delight, pointing to the Grace of God in Christ - who alone through the Christian could fulfill God's desires.

The Gospel's fugitive

Romans 7:13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.

When blue and red lights flash in the human soul
In the heart of every human being lies a function of the soul that Romans 2:15 describes as the "conscience".  The conscience tells us when we have overstepped the boundaries of God's law.  Its like those people who are driving 10 miles above the speed limit and know that even though they are doing wrong, yet their destination, their agenda is more pressing than obeying the governing authorities.  Thinking that they are nothing more than a good citizen committing a minor traffic violation, unbelievers continue to "drive" through life.  It is then that the Holy Spirit pulls out and the lights of conviction come on and the sirens of Divine judgment blare.  

When the Holy Spirit places you under arrest - Romans 7:1-13
The Holy Spirit's job is to bring the sinner to justice - for the sake of Mercy.  In the light of God's Law, the sinner finds out that he has been a wanted man.  He is guilty of crimes against the King and his escapades and identity in his father Adam led to the death of the King's innocent Son.  Through the flashing lights of the law the Holy Spirit reads my rights through the Gospel.  The fugative blurts out: "I refuse the court appointed attorney, since I have my own, thank you very much!"  Paul here in Romans 7 is showing how unbelievers are in the eyes of God's law.  The sinner mutters to himself: "I'm a good person, I'm a good kid, I go to church, just who does He think He is, He's got no proof that I did it!"  The Law's work according to Romans 7:7 is to take the Holy Spirit convicted sinner in before the Judgment seat of God.

A fugative from God made a family member - Romans 7:14-8:1
At first the sinner may fight and defend himself - however as Holy God brings evidence and cross examination, it is clear that they are not only a law breaker, but guilty of treason against the King.  Alas the Law of God shuts the fugative's mouth - no defense. (Romans 3:10-20)  The rehearsed speech is a joke.  God knows all and sees all.  Satan, the only attorney that the sinner had been looking to, is really the enemy. (2 Corinthians 4:4) 

Suddenly the courtroom door flies open and in steps the defense attorney - The Son.  The very One whom the fugative had done violence against - is alive!  Will they run, will they hide, as their father Adam, a fugative in the Garden of Eden, had done?  No.  Something is different here.  That fugative at one point was me.  When I was that fugative, I was overcome by the Son's grace, His love in contrast to my vileness and filth.

Grace through the Law convinced me of my deserved condemnation - a fugative deserving justice!  By grace through faith I threw myself on the Mercy of the Court.  Grace through the Gospel revealed the Son's nail-scarred hand reaching down to me.  I reached up and by faith embraced the One whom I formerly hated. This marvelous Savior picked me up, and placed His own white robe around my shoulders.  The gavel of God thundered on the bench and His sentence was declared over the rest of my life - case dismissed!  The Fugative is no more - you are free to go - my son!   Romans 8:1 states - "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

The Gospel's two types of husbands

Romans 7:1-2 Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? 2For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.

Sin - the Horrible Husband (Spouse)
Romans 7 is going to explore the conflict that exists in the life of the Christian.  Before getting to that main theme, Paul chooses to illustrate the reality of sin and the reality of Christ through the illustration of marriage.  The Gospel always begins with the bad news before proceeding to the good news. 

When you and I are born into this world, we are, as it were, wedded to sin.  As we grow and develop, this spouse comes to more and more dominate your life.  In using the analogy of marriage, Paul states that as long as unbelief operates in the human heart, the marriage to the sinful self will become more and more loveless.

Sin's chief function in the life of the unbeliever is that of dominion.  By tracing the argument back to Romans 6:14, we discover that the Christian is set free from the "dominion" or the "necessity" to only sin.  Like a bad marriage, sin abuses, takes over and demands.  In the life of the unbeliever, self is always crying "I want" and never "I'll give".  Sin shouts "mine" and never "His".  Sin will gladly wear a three-piece suit and go to church and be religious, just as long as the cross is not mentioned. 

Christ the Good Husband (Spouse)
Paul teaches that as long as the first "husband" of unbelief is alive in my heart, I am bound to that "bad marriage".  A loveless, lifeless marriage is like a walking death.  This is Paul's point - to show His readers that Good Husband - Christ.  Therefore whenever the Spirit comes calling, I by grace through faith believe and the former life, the former "husband" is declared legally dead by God.  Death can only be declared at the cross.  When I embrace the cross, my so-called marriage to unbelief in Christ is over.  The former husband dies at the cross. At that point I'm set free to embrace Christ. 

Now what kind of spouse is Christ?  Romans 7:4 explains "Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God."  He brings me new life.  He brings you flowers in the form of righteous living.  He brings to light His love letters called the scriptures.  He clothes you in new garments called His righteousness.  He is building for you a new home in Heaven. (John 14:1-6)  He loves you no matter what. (Romans 8:32-37) 

Romans 7:6 sheds even more light - "But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter."  The New Husband, Christ, makes all things new.  The shame, regret and hurt of your former "marriage" to sin is erased.  Now that old husband will attempt to come back and convince you that you need to go back.  However you need to say to your old self that you are Christ's, and that Christ is yours, and that you are in no way going back. 

How to spell G.R.A.C.E

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

What is grace?  Grace is God doing for you what you otherwise could never do for yourself.  It is His favor to the unfavorable, His love to the unloveable, His kindness to the cruel, His fellowship extended to His enemies and His mercy to His foes.  Who are those unfavorable, unloveable, cruel foes born into this world at enmity with Him?  Those who have not yet trust in Him by grace through faith.
How Grace is spelled prior to conversion
Prior to the cross grace is nothing more than an idealized principle.  The author of this blog was at one point an enemy of God. (Ephesians 2:1-3) When I think of Grace coming to me prior to salvation, it could be spelled out in this fashion:
G = God
R = Reaching
A = Across to
C = Comfort
E = Enemies

Salvation's grace includes the giftings of faith and repentance, whereby the sinner is persuaded by the Holy Spirit that they are that enemy, and that God reaching out to them is the only source of comfort they'll find to escape the wrath to come. (Galatians 3:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:24)  As a ten year old boy, that grace was brought to me, convincing me of my awefulness and Christ's awesomeness.  God came to me with faith and repentance in grace whereby I truly believed upon Him and repented of my sins. (Acts 26:17-18)

How grace is spelled after conversion
The event of salvation in a person's life is truly amazing.  In my Christian life Grace went from being an idealized principle to being revealed as an Individual Person - Christ.  Following the conversion experience, grace in the life of the Christian is spelled:
G = God
R = Reaching
A = Across to
C = Cherish
E = Evermore

Grace is not only something that leads me to chose Christ in conversion and transformation, Grace is the Person of Christ taking my now transformed life and leading me to live for Him.  Grace takes a slave to sin and make them a son.  Grace takes tragedy and turns it into a trophy for God's glory.  Grace takes despair and transforms it into hope.  In the final analysis, grace is really spelled JESUS, before and after conversion.

The Roman's Road - and where it leads

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What is the Roman's Road?
The Book of Romans' chief aim is to explain how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation. (Romans 1:16-17)  For years observant Christian teachers have discovered that key verses in the book of Romans can be used as a tool to walk a person through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Below are the string of  verses used in this evangelism tool that is referred to as the "Roman's Road":

Romans 1:16-17 = The Power of the Gospel
Romans 1:18; 3:23 = The bad news of the Gospel
Romans 6:23 = The results of rejecting the Gospel
Romans 5:8 = God's Love in the Gospel
Romans 10:8-10 = How to Receive the Gospel
Romans 12:1-2 = Living the Gospel every day

One thing to change about this presentation
This particular method of sharing the gospel is effective because it tries to follow Paul's argument for the power of the Gospel and its ability to convert the unbelieving heart to a heart of faith in Christ.  I have even used this tool from time to time in my conversations with unbelievers.  However if I were to change one thing in this presentation, it would be the way in which Romans 6:23 is used. 

No doubt Romans 6:23 tells us about the "wages" or "expected results" of sin - death.  Furthermore, Paul is contrasting "sin" and "eternal life".  However the question that needs to be asked is: "does this passage address believers or unbelievers"?  In the context of Romans 6,7,8 the overwhelming answer is that the verse is addressed to believers.  It is a warning to not be influenced by the still lingering remains of the sinful inclinations that reside within the Christian.  Though the Christian nature is designed by God to "sin no more" (see yesterday's blog), the presence of indwelling sin beckons and tempts the Christian to consider disobedience as a second option. (thus the point of Romans 7)  If a Christian never had to worry about ever sinning again, the warning about the "wages of sin" would not be issued. 

Revising the Roman's Road method
Being that Romans 1-5 is dealing with the journey one makes from unbelief to faith, and being that Romans 10 occurs within a context wherein Paul is appealing to his fellow Jews to be saved, I would propose the following revision of the Roman's Road:
Romans 1:16-17 = The Power of the Gospel
Romans 1:18; 3:23 = The bad news of the Gospel
Romans 5:8 = God's Love in the Gospel
Romans 10:8-10 = How to Receive the Gospel

Where the Roman's Road leads
By using this "revised" method, the verses dealing with the journey from unbelief to faith are used in accordance to their context.  Following an actual profession of faith, I would then bring in Romans 6:23 and Romans 12:1-2 to explain to the new convert the "now what's next" part of their faith commitment.  Romans' aim is to show the power of the Gospel that not only leads to salvation, but also how the power of the Gospel enables one to live the life of salvation. 

The Christian's driver's license

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

The day I received my driver's license
When I was sixteen years old, I attempted twice to acquire my driver's license.  On the third attempt my parents, sister and Grandmother came with me to the driver's training course for moral support.  As they were watching outside I maneuvered my dad's 1984 Pontiac Pariseene Station Wagon through the slolam course of cones and "invisible cars".  When the test concluded, I got out and the officer informed me that I had passed!

What a thrilling day as my family watched the driver's instructor print out and hand me my driver's license.  My dad even handed me the keys and I got to drive the whole family home.  We were driving around the town after lunch and I decided to take a side street to go the "scenic route".  My family was talking and we were all laughing when suddenly my mother screamed at me "Mahlon!".  Brakes screached and we all stopped 5 feet from a concrete wall - the street was a "dead end".  Needless to say my dad took over the wheel and I learned the true purpose of my driver's license - the right to drive right, and to not drive recklessly!

The Christian life is where God gives you the license to "sin no more" or "live rightly for Him"
When we read what Paul writes in Romans 6:14-23, we discover that sin "is no longer the master" or "the one who is to call the shots" for the Christian life.  In Romans 6:14 we are told why - "because you are not under law, but under grace".  Many people have mistakenly interpreted that verse to mean that as a Christian, I am not obligated to follow any commands, and thus grace gives me the license to sin.  Nothing could be any further from the point of the passage.

In the context of Romans, when Paul speaks of being "under the law", he is referring to a particular function or certain activity of the law.  The law does three main things in the Bible: it curbs disobedience, it shows me condemned and it pictures what should be operative in the Christian life through Christ.  Being that Christians are declared "right" by God through faith, they are thus not subject to condemnation.  Also too, grace sets them free to "live the Christian life" by God's power that before was being demanded by the law.  Therefore though I am saved by grace through faith apart from law keeping, my subsequent faith in Christ is not a lawless, reckless one. 

Before Christ, I could not live for God.  All I knew to do was "freely sin".  However following conversion, the Holy Spirit sets me free to "sin no more".  This is not some sort of "sinless perfection teaching", since the Bible still advocates my need to confess my sins following conversion. (compare 1 John 1:9-2:2).  Rather, in the Christian life I am set free to willingly choose obedience to God's will.  I am given a "license" to live rightly for God in Christ, or stated negatively - "a license to sin no more".    In short, though I'll never reach the point in this life of never sinning again, yet the last time I sinned I did not have to, but rather chose to. 

Why Grace is not a "license to sin"
Paul explains what he means in Romans 6:14 by further elaborating on the "Christian's driver's license".  In Romans 6:17-18 we read: "thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness."  Or how about later on in Romans 6:22 "But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life."

By the ongoing work of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Christian is free to "obey God from the heart" (6:17) and desires to be "enslaved to righteousness" (6:18).  Furthermore, the Christian life is designed by God to yield ever-increasing godliness or "sanctification". (6:22)  Far from being a license to sin, grace sets the Christian free to "live rightly for God".

Illustrating the "Christian Driver's License" - John 8:11
Some of you may be familiar with the episode of the woman caught in adultery who was brought to the feet of Jesus by the sneaky underhanded Scribes of the Pharisees. (John 8:1-11)  For our purposes here I want to focus on verse 11b where Jesus tells the woman - "....I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”  When he says "sin no more", He is saying quite literally in the original language - "stop your ongoing sin pattern".  This woman had clearly gotten herself into a lifestyle that functioned as a revovling door in her life.  Christ told her that now as His follower, this woman not only had the obligation, but the Grace available to get out of her ongoing bondage.  He literally told her to "sin no more" or "now you have the freedom to leave your sinful lifestyle and live rightly for me". 

As a friend of mine once said: "Jesus can take your 'have to's' and make them into 'want to's".  The Christian life gives you the license to not go down the side streets of temptation and have near-head-on collisions with walls of sin.