Does grace mean I can live however I want?
No. Grace does not loosen the grip of sin; it breaks it. The same grace that forgives is the grace that teaches: it frees us from slavery to sin, not from loyalty to Christ. To turn grace into a license to sin is to misunderstand what grace is for.
This question arose from studying What is grace? and What is the gospel?.
Begin by reading
Go into the Word
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
The question is as old as the gospel
Paul did not wait for someone to ask; he asked it for us: 'What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?' And his answer is flat: 'May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?' Grace is not a smaller view of sin; it is the power that took us out of sin's grip.
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?
What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? May it never be!
Grace unites you to Christ, and that union changes everything
Why can't a Christian keep sinning? Because of what grace did: you were baptized into Christ Jesus and into His death, so that the old self was crucified and you are no longer a slave of sin. Christ died for all, 'that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.' Under grace does not mean free to sin; it means free from it.
May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin.
For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace.
He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
Grace is not permission; it is teaching
Paul's own description of grace is anything but permissive: 'the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation... instructing us... that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.' Grace forgives the past and trains the present. And Jude warns against 'turning the grace of our God into indecency.'
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world;
For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Freedom is for love, not from love
The freedom grace gives is freedom to love, not freedom from God. Paul says you were called to freedom; only do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh, but through love serve one another. Peter echoes it: live as free people, 'and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.' Paul adds a guardrail: 'all things are lawful for me,' but not all things are expedient, and he will not be brought under the power of anything. The freest man in the world is the one who is free to serve.
For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.
as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are expedient. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be brought under the power of anything.
The same grace forgives and re-creates
Grace is one gift with two motions. It saves you: 'by grace you have been saved through faith.' And the very same grace re-creates you: 'we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.' Where sin once shaped you, grace now reshapes you. Forgiven and being remade: that is the life grace actually produces.
for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
We haven't written this one yet. Take it to your church or small group: the Word answers it wherever it is asked. If we study it here later, all the better.
Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?
For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world;
For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.
for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
Worth visiting