A common frustration in many churches today is the message that once you believe in Christ and are baptized, ongoing sin carries little weight. However, this reasoning is not supported by Scripture. Romans 6:1-2 asks, “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” Paul answers, “By no means!”
The Biblical View of Grace
Grace is not permission to stay in sin. Rather, it gives us the power and reason to live differently. As Titus 3:4-8 states, God “saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” Good works do not purchase salvation, but they should grow out of it.
Jesus warned in Matthew 7:21-23 that not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, “but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” In Matthew 25:31-46, He describes a final judgment in which acts of mercy toward the hungry, the stranger, and the needy reveal something real about the heart.
God invites us to confess our sins honestly, and 1 John 1:9 promises that He forgives and cleanses those who do. He does not expect perfection overnight, but He calls us to repentance, a turning away from sin and toward holiness.
Loving Others with Truth and Kindness
As Christians, our mission is to help people find their way to Christ. We should not fear honest conversations about what Jesus actually taught. Real love does not ignore truth, but shares it with kindness. By speaking truth with humility and listening with compassion, we can help one another grow closer to Christ and remain faithful to Him.
Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.
