Grace Should Reign

This will be the last message in this series on law and grace. We’ve been talking about how grace is the effective working of God’s power, a gift of His light and life that is given to man for a very specific purpose. It’s not given to man just to help him make decisions, or to comfort him in difficult times, or even to forgive his past sins. The grace of God certainly does all of these things, but the real reason we need grace, is because a written law of commandments cannot change our nature, cannot end our relationship to the law of sin and death, and cannot create us anew in Christ Jesus “in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:24). 

We’ve seen that the outward law describes righteousness, but grace gives us the life and power of righteousness that can (and will, if not resisted) work in the heart like leaven, spreading and filling and changing the nature of man. And we’ve seen that it is very important to understand HOW this grace comes to man, HOW it is experienced, because there is something so predominant in man that wants the gift of grace to be experienced in a way that is easy and pleasing to the flesh. In general, men love to talk about grace, and sing about grace, and celebrate grace, as long as their idea of grace allows them to continue living their own lives. All of the wrong ideas about grace have this in common. They claim to have received something from God, and yet they can possess it and enjoy it without having to lose their life, their will, and their treasure in the flesh. 

There are many versions of this, and we’ve mentioned some of them. Some actually teach that grace removes or reduces God’s requirement of righteousness. Others teach grace as a safe status, a new legal position, where the sin that we live in is not seen or taken into account, or where all sin, past, present, and future are entirely removed. Some view grace as simply a perpetual offer of forgiveness, and their lives go on in a continual cycle of sin - repent - sin - repent - sin - repent, etc. There are many other thoughts and ideas that come from that wisdom below, but again, all of them have one thing in common: they all claim to have received a kind of grace that does not crucify the nature of flesh, take our hearts out of this world, or enable us to walk in righteous life of Jesus Christ. It is a grace that saves from the consequences of sin, without saving from the power, pleasure, and reign of sin in the heart. 

And this is what I wanted to talk about in this last message. In Romans chapter 5:19-21, Paul makes this statement: 

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Paul says that “the law entered that the offense might abound.” This should make sense to us now, because we’ve seen how the written law could only manifest sin, but it could not remove it. It described righteousness, set a standard for righteousness, but did not provide righteousness, and so it continually manifested an abundance of offenses against righteousness. 

And then Paul says, “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” Where did sin abound? I suppose you could correctly say in a general way that sin abounded in the world, and that grace came to the world through Christ. But, because of what follows, I believe that the word “where” here refers specifically to the heart of man. Sin abounded in the heart of man. That’s where the disease was. That’s where the law of sin and death was producing and abounding in fruits unto death. That is where the written law could only expose and condemn what it could not change. And that’s also where grace abounds much more, or in a way that is much greater and stronger than the abounding of sin. 

And now we come to the part I want to focus on: “So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” It seems to me that this verse alone should put an end to all of the false and flesh-pleasing ideas about grace. Because here, as clearly as words can do it, Paul says that grace should REIGN in man through the nature of righteousness, even as sin has previously reigned in man in death. 

If we just stop and consider this statement with a humble heart, I believe it will clear up almost every misunderstanding about the nature of grace. Grace is to reign in man just as sin has reigned. Well, how did sin reign? I think we all know too well the answer to this question. Sin has reigned in all of us in a way that is very apparent, discernible, and unmistakable. Its kingdom is subtle and deceptive, but it is not invisible or hard to discern. I mean there is no denying, or doubting, or debating about whether or not sin is working in you, or whether you have experienced its reign. Why not? Because we have all felt its power in our minds, its influence over our desires, its fruits in our lives. We have felt it changing our perspective, changing our direction, pushing and pulling, enticing us, embarrassing us, and leaving us disappointed, empty, and ashamed as it stains and ruins everything in our lives. The reign of sin in man is perhaps the most demonstrable thing in all of the world. Just look out your window, read the news, or talk to your neighbor. Or better yet, just look into your own heart. It has its roots and its vines wrapped around everything man does, says, and seeks. It causes all men to dance behind its pipe, and leads every one of them towards one form or another of death, darkness, emptiness, and shame. There is no doubting or denying that the reign of sin in man is very real and very strong. 

And if we only understand this, then we understand enough to know how grace should reign in us, and how it should abound much more where sin has abounded. Because, how can sin reign in all of these powerful, discernible, heart-changing, life-changing ways, and grace not be able to do the same? I mean, how can we admit that sin touches everything, pulls and pushes, grows, fills and defiles from the inside out, but then turn around and say that grace can be possessed and enjoyed without really changing our heart? Somebody says, “I have received the grace of God.” “What is it doing for you?” “Well, nothing yet. But when I die it will forgive all my sins and take me to heaven!” My friends, Paul says that where sin abounded, grace abounds MUCH MORE. Is sin an inward reigning nature, and grace just an outward legal position, or a future ticket to heaven? I ask you to consider these things, and more importantly, to consider before the Lord the extent to which you are truly experiencing the reign of grace. 

Because grace is also an inward nature, and it was sown in man to take back the land of his heart from the nature of sin. The true grace of God also pushes and pulls, draws and teaches, fills and spreads, changes our perspective, our heart, and our direction. It comes bringing salvation, and teaches all men to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. It awakens the heart that is asleep in Egypt, calls it to leave, and leads it to the Promised Land. The work of grace, or the power of grace, should be just as demonstrable in the lives of Christians as the power of sin is in the people of the world. In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” In 1Tim 1:14 he says, “And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” 

Grace was changing Paul’s heart, working mightily in him and through him. And though we are not all called to be apostles like Paul, or prophets or pastors, we are all called to walk in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. We are all called to put off the old man, be renewed in the spirit of our mind, and put on the new man. We are all called to die to self, be crucified to the world, walk in the Spirit, and “do nothing through selfish ambition or conceit” (Phil 2:3), to “be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.” This requires power. This requires the effective working of a seed or nature that reigns and abounds in man where sin has reigned and abounded. And this is why it is so important to understand  both what grace is, and HOW it comes, or how it increases in us when our heart and will joins to its light. 

Let’s consider the reign of sin for a moment. The power of sin did not begin in you like an overpowering torrent. It’s true that there was a nature of sin, or a seed of sin in you from the very beginning, when you first came into this world. All men and women came into this world in the image and likeness of their fallen parents, and even as a baby the heart of man can feel the stirring and moving of a nature and will that is contrary to righteousness, contrary to the nature and will of God. But I’m not talking about the mere presence of sin in man, I’m talking about the reign or power of sin in man, the way that sin comes to govern and control man both inwardly and outwardly. How did that come about? How did it start? I think we all know the answer to this question. It started as a thought, or as a mere desire. Sin placed before the view of our mind the image of something, together with a lie that attaining or possessing it would satisfy the desire, and take away the uncomfortable sense of longing and lack. And when our will then joined to that desire, or willingly united to that thought, then the power of sin was conceived or brought forth. I repeat, when the will of the soul voluntarily unites with the evil desire, then the nature of sin finds a place to grow, it gains power in us, gains inertia, finds a stronghold or a home in our minds, and so its reign or power increases to bring forth death. This is what we read in James chapter 1:13-15 

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

When does desire conceive and give birth to sin? I believe the answer is: when the will of the soul voluntarily unites with the desire. It is not sin to be tempted, or to have our attention attracted by thoughts, desires or suggestions of the enemy. Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). Jesus never united His will to the temptation, and so sin found no place in Him. Just prior to the cross, having lived more than 33 years on earth as a man, he could say, “The ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (John 14:30).

My point is that, though sin is present in man as a seed or nature from the time of his birth, yet the power of sin, or the abounding reign of sin, increases in man as we unite to it with our will. When we love the appearing of sin, listen to its enticements, and voluntarily join to its increasing suggestions and promises, then it has a snowball effect in our hearts. It gains ground, it gains size and weight and speed, and can become so incredibly strong that it seems now to control our will, to rule unhindered in us, and this can continue until we find nothing left in us to oppose its nature. This is a horrible condition of slavery, and if man continues in it, we know that the wages of sin is death. 

But the reason I am talking about this is not to glorify the power of sin, but rather to explain and glorify the power of grace. Because again, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness.” Grace also has a seed in man, a seed that is sown in the heart by the One who is “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14) John says, “Of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16). The Sower has gone out and has sown a measure of His fullness in every kind of soil, and this is the ONLY reason why grace can abound where sin has abounded. This is why we have hope in the gospel, a living expectation, “Christ in us, the hope of glory.” 

And how does the soul grow in grace? First, grace appears! “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Tit. 2:11). Grace appears and presents before the view of our heart a sight of truth, a measure of heavenly light. Grace shines in our darkness, and says “let there be light.” This is God Himself, working in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. It stirs, it awakens, it loves us first, visits us in Egypt, and calls us out from under the power of Pharaoh. And when our will unites to the grace, it then finds a place to grow, it gains power in us, gains inertia, finds a home in our hearts and minds, and its power increases to reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Grace too has a snowball effect in the heart of man. When loved and obeyed, it gains ground, it grows in size and weight and speed, and can become so incredibly strong that it governs our will, creates new desires, new understanding, new love, a new heart. It makes all things new, and all things of God. But again, this is only our experience when our will unites to the teachings of grace. And after grace appears and begins to teach, often the first thing we experience is another voice telling us that we do not need to obey its call. Paul tells us that grace teaches us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, but another voice says, “That is not necessary, that is old covenant, that is legalism, those little things don’t matter, that is for another time, that’s not what your pastor is teaching, that’s not how anyone else around you is living, etc.”  

This is when grace is most easily resisted—when the snowball is still small. When it has gained little weight and size and strength in your heart. It is meant to reign. It is given so that it will reign, and by its reign, to make us free. Not just free from the consequences of sin in the future, but from the power, pleasure, and reign of sin in this life. But if we are not watchful and careful, and if we do not join our will to the various appearings, convictions, and teachings of grace, then we will be among the many who believe in grace, and talk about grace, but don’t know its power. 

And as we said in a previous message, this is why the apostles endeavored to persuade new believers to “continue” in the grace of God, and pleaded with them not to “receive the grace of God in vain.” This is why the New Testament tells us we can set aside the grace of God, or nullify the grace of God, or fall from grace, insult the Spirit of grace, or even turn the grace of God into fleshly license. These aren’t hypothetical possibilities. These are daily occurrences and real dangers in all of our hearts. The truth is that we must either bring ourselves under the grace of God, or we will inevitably trample the grace of God under our feet. 

Now this phrase “under grace” is one that Paul uses in Romans, and I believe it is frequently misunderstood. In Romans 6:14, Paul says, 

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!

Once again, to understand what Paul means by being under grace, I think it is helpful to first ask in what sense Israel was under the law? And I believe it's fair to say that Israel was under the law in every conceivable sense. I mean, it ruled them, it taught them, it governed every aspect of their personal, religious, and civil lives. It determined how they lived, related to one another, worshiped, ate, raised children, dealt with evil, uncleanness, sickness, etc. There was no part of their life that wasn’t brought under its jurisdiction, or submitted to the written word of the law. And yet, in all of this, sin still had dominion over them, because (as we’ve seen) there is a great difference between a written word of law, and an implanted Word of grace. 

But now, Paul says, “sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Being under grace is not dispensing with the law, as many foolishly say. Being under grace is bringing our heart, our lives, our thoughts, desires, and deeds, UNDER the power, government, jurisdiction, or rule of grace, so that just as the word of law once governed the outward man, now the Word of grace governs the heart (and thereby governs the outward man as well). 

Let’s read a little more of the passage that I just quoted, so that we can see where Paul takes us with this phrase “under grace.” He says, 

For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But 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 delivered, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

In other words, he says, “Romans, you no longer have to be slaves of sin, because you are no longer simply under the jurisdiction of an outward command, but under the jurisdiction of an inward power. What then, does that mean that you can sin now because you are no longer under the outward letter of the law? May it never be! Do you not realize that when you give yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to the one who you obey. You used to be slaves of sin, and the written law was always ready to condemn you. But thanks be to God that, though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to a new form of teaching, to the teachings of grace, to which you were delivered (literally: to which you were handed over). And having, by the power of grace, been made free from the power of sin, you have become slaves of righteousness.”

I know I have been repeating some of the same concepts over and over, but I’m hoping that with a little repetition, and a number of clear Scripture quotations, everybody who is reading or listening to this will come to a clear understanding that grace is something far different than what is often presented. Grace is the effective power of the Lord Jesus Christ that works in man, first as a mustard seed, a talent, a tiny pinch of leaven, and then (when obeyed from the heart) as a growing snowball, or an increasing kingdom that brings everything in man under its power. 

And since grace has come, since it has been sown into our hearts by Him who is the fullness of grace, since our only hope of salvation is by grace, and not by our works, then, my friends, “let us go boldly to the throne of grace” (Heb 4:16) to receive and to grow in what God desires to give us. And let us take seriously the following advice of Peter: 

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (1 Pet 1:13-16)

This should be our expectation. This is what grace does. It makes you like the Author of grace. It makes you holy as He is holy.