Romans 6:1-3
Last Month, we looked at God’s Wrath, and the consequences we deserve for disobeying, our heavenly father. For we are all fallen ‘There is no one righteous, not even one’ (Romans 3:11), so we all deserve to be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death. (Revelation 21:8).
So what is there to protect us from this deserved wrath? For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16). So God now sees those who seek Jesus through the righteousness of Jesus (Matthew 6:33). Through the cross, Jesus paid for all sin for all time (Hebrews 5:9, 7:27 and 9:12) removing our sin from us as far as east is from west (Psalm 103:11-13).
So does this give us a licence to go on sinning, to live as we like, to forebear on a cuddly, lovable God? As the title passage says “BY NO MEANS“. How can we! If we understand what Jesus did for us at the cross, the unbelievable love He showed for us. The redemption he brought us,the gift of eternal live and eternal love, at no cost to us. How can we not return that love, it is impossible for us not to love him in return. If we love someone, truly love someone then we do not turn our backs on them, nor do we lie to them, and we do not ignore the loving advice they give us. But most of all if we love someone, the whole fabric of love is to put them first, to consider those we love before ourselves. (Matthew 22:36-40, Romans 12:10 Romans 13:8-9….. and many more) So “How can we live in sin any longer”.
I give a very poor earthly example. Shortly I am about to marry the most wonderful woman in the whole of God’s Creation. There is no thing I would not do for her, and this determination has grown stronger and stronger as we have built our relationship. As I said she is wonderful, but she is born of flesh, and can only love me back as much as any human can, which she does. But still, I will repeat, there is no thing I would not do for her.
So how much more, will I do for a God who loves me in a way that is far greater than human love (Agape). A God who sacrificed himself, in the form of Jesus, for me. A Loving father that is able to, and does, provide all I need. How more more do I want to please him and to hear Him say “Well done my good an faithful servant”. So how can I continue to sin, if I fear God, whom I love.
Who am I! A redeemed man, who has died, with Jesus, to sin, who fears our loving God, whom I worship. Desiring to build on my relationship with Him, to know more and more of this Agape.
