
Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound?
This question has been asked for centuries wherever and whenever the gospel of Jesus Christ was preached.
It is still being asked today. As a preacher, I have been confronted with this question so many times I have lost count. Once you understand grace, you have to ask this question. You may have asked it yourself.
So, what is the answer? I have recently heard of a story which made me think of grace.
One morning a father went into town with his son. They lived on the farm about 40km north of Durban, South Africa. The father wanted to have the car serviced, and to also conduct some other business on the other side of town. When they arrived in town, the son dropped the father where he was going to do his business. He instructed his son to take the car to a garage where he had booked the service. When the garage had finished servicing the car, the son would go back and fetch his father to go back home.
The son took the car, and by early afternoon the car was ready. The young man looked at the time and thought he would catch a movie at the cinema around the corner before going to fetch his father. It so happened that this was one of those epic movies that run for two and a half hours. By the time he came out, the sun was setting.
On the other side of town, his father was getting worried. He called the garage to inquire of his sons whereabouts, and he was told the son had left with the car a few hours earlier. This was in the days before the mobile phone. As it was getting dark, the son arrived to pick up his father.
Where have you been? the father asked. Not aware that his father had already called the garage, the son replied, They took a little long at the garage. When I got there, they were already busy with other cars, so they started working on our car late. He said this with such a straight face, that if the father did not know the truth, he would have believed this lie.
With a sad face, the father said, My son, why are you lying to me? I have called the garage and they told me you left hours ago. I have been raising you to become a man of integrity. I am obviously failing. Now I am going to walk home and figure out what it is I am doing wrong that makes you feel it necessary to lie to me like this.
With those words, he turned around and started walking home, 40 km away! The young man stood there not knowing what to say or do. When he came to his senses, he decided to drive slowly behind his father, hoping he would eventually change his mind and get into the car. Many hours later, the father walked into the house, and the son, who had been following his father with the car, went to park the car.
From that day, I decided I would never lie to my father ever again, said the son as he related this incident.
Most humans do not understand what sin has done to them. If they did, it is the last thing they would want in their lives.
Say no to sin
I think this is a classic story of grace. The father decided not to punish his son for lying. However he decided to take the pain on himself for his sons sake. That is grace undeserved favour, kindness, love and forgiveness. Our Father in heaven has done exactly this. When humans sinned, he so loved us that he gave his only begotten Son so that by believing in him, we may be saved from sin and death. He took the pain on himself. Does the fact that the father responds with grace encourage more lying and sinning? No! To respond with sinning is to not understand what has just happened.
For the grace of God teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Tit. 2:11-12). Instead of teaching us to sin more, grace teaches us to say no to sin!
How does grace do this? Most humans do not understand what sin has done to them. If they did, it is the last thing they would want in their lives. It is like a drug addict whose life has been destroyed by drugs. When the father offers grace and takes the son out of the drug den into rehab, it is inconceivable that once the son comes out of rehab he would want to go back into drugs so that the father can show more grace. It doesnt make sense.
Once we understand what grace is, what the Father has done for us in Jesus Christ, what sin is, and what it has done to us, and what it continues to do to us, our answer is a resounding No! We cant continue in sin so that grace may abound.
Grace is a beautiful word. It is a beautiful name. My sister-in-laws name is Grace. My denominations name is Grace Communion International. Each time I hear or read the name Grace, I remember what it teaches me. The next time you hear or read about grace, please remember that it is more than just saving grace, it is also teaching grace.
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