Does preaching grace encourage people to live lives of sin?
Andrew Murray, a South African pastor who lived May 8, 1828 to January 18, 1927 is one of my favorite classic Christian authors. In his book titled “The two Covenants”, pastor Murray talks about grace and sin. He discusses the difference between the covenant of law and the new covenant of grace (which is really the difference between grace and sin because the law is the power of sin (1 Cor. 15:56), the law is the engine that gives strength to sin) and makes a remarkable statement that is life transforming.
He wrote “What the law demands, grace supplies”
If you have been watching Christian television, Pastor Joseph Prince has recently preached a series titled “the Law demands, grace supplies”. He himself appears to be a student of Andrew Murray and presents the same message Murray presented many years ago to a generation that is thirsty for the grace message.
Many people who fear the preaching of the message of grace fear that somehow when grace is preached, it will lead people to sin. However biblical evidence shows the converse. It is only by the message of grace that we can overcome the law. Let’s look at the following scriptures.
The Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God’s unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded,
So that, [just] as sin has reigned in death, [so] grace (His unearned and undeserved favor) might reign also through righteousness (right standing with God) which issues in eternal life through Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) our Lord.
Romans 5:20-21
For sin shall not [any longer] exert dominion over you, since now you are not under Law [as slaves], but under grace [as subjects of God’s favor and mercy]. What then [are we to conclude]? Shall we sin because we live not under Law but under God’s favor and mercy? Certainly not! Romans 6:14-15 Amp.
So, grace is the solution to sin. The power of sin is the law. Where there is no law, there is no transgression. Grace empowers the believer to do right. So that as we see in the above scriptures, God’s grace empowers the believer to overcome the sin nature and live lives free of continual sin. So when someone tells you that preaching God’s grace to people will cause them to continue to live in sin, tell them no. If people continue to live in sin after you preach a message of grace to them, it is not because grace causes them to sin, it is likely because these people don’t understand grace at all.
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