Gospel Power vs Sin's Power

Dear God seekers,

Consider the power behind sin versus the power behind the gospel: 

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law (1 Co 15:56). Sin has no power without the law. For apart from the law, sin was dead, as it is when one comes to Christ (Ro 7:8). Sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law (Ro 5:13). I would not have known what sin was except through the law (Ro 7:7). 

Imagine death as an entity or creature, as in the angel of death, and it has a stinger. The stinger that it uses to sting people is sin. Inside every deadly stinger is a poison, but the power of death’s stinger (sin) is the law. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death (Ro 7:11). For the wages of sin is death (Ro 6:23). Sin uses what is good (the law) to bring death, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, so that sin (through the commandment) might become utterly sinful (Ro 7:13). God designed it this way, so that we would recognize sin as something deadly to be avoided, just as He put the bad odor on excrement for the same reason. Likewise, many poisonous plant compounds are bitter, so that they may be recognized as poisonous. So once again, the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 

However, in contrast to the power of sin, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes (Ro 1:16). Put differently, the power of God unto salvation for those who believe is the gospel. In the same way that we give an antidote to one who has been stung by a poisonous snake, scorpion, or spider, God’s antidote to sin’s sting of death is the gospel. That’s His power to save mankind from eternal death and separation from Him in hell, and it is far greater that the power of sin.

To those who believe the gospel, God gives the gracious gift of eternal life. All those who repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ are no longer under law and sin’s deadly power, but under grace and the power of God to save them (Ro 6:14). Therefore, sin is no longer their master, and it wields no power over them, because Christ is their master.

Conclusion

Let's put this in the simplest terms using the form of equations in order to emphasize my point.

Sin = the sting of death 

The law = the power of sin 

The gospel = the power of God unto salvation (to those who believe)

The choice is easy. Why choose to be under the law, thereby giving sin the power to sting you unto death, when you can believe the gospel and receive God's power unto salvation?

Attribution notice: All Scriptures are taken from the New International Version (NIV1984), copyright Zondervan, used by permission, all rights reserved.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy The Flesh vs the Spirit, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Drifting Away, Is Obedience Optional?, The Apostasy Parables, Holy Living in a Perverted World, The Law of Christ, Aim for Perfection, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, The Straight and Narrow Path, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Living a Life Worthy of the Lord, Separation from the World, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, Amazing Grace, and Doing What is Right. You can find more of my articles related to Seeking the Lord on the Home page of this blog. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

Grace in Its Various Forms

Dear God seekers, 

We often think of grace as just the kind which saves you. But Peter the apostle wrote that there are various forms of God’s grace. He said: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.” (1Pe 4:10). 

Various Forms of Grace

Let’s take a look at the various forms of God’s grace mentioned in Scripture, which are twelve in number.

1. Saving grace: Grace to justify sinners through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ (Eph 2:5, 7-8; 2 Tim 1:9; Tit 3:7).

2. Serving grace: Grace for gospel work; grace to be a servant of the gospel and to call people to the obedience of faith; grace to serve (1Pe 4:10; Rom 1:5; 15:15-16; 2 Co 1:12; Gal 2:9; Eph 3:2, 7-8; 4:7, 11-12; 2 Tim 2:1).

Foundation-building grace: Grace to build wisely in God’s kingdom (1 Co 3:10). This is basically a type of serving grace.

3. Speaking grace: Grace to speak for God graciously and powerfully, whether publicly or privately, whether in person or on video (Rom 12:3; Col 4:6).

4. Writing grace: Grace to write for the Lord in whatever manner the Holy Spirit leads (eg., books, booklets, articles, letters, tracts, blogs, etc.), in a way that effectively communicates the gospel, as well as any biblical truth found in Scripture (Rom 12:3; 15:15).

5. Grace for godliness: Grace to say no to ungodliness and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives (Tit 2:11-12).

6. Existential grace: Grace to be who God has called you to be in Christ. We are who we are by the grace of God (1 Co 15:10; Gal 1:15).

7. Grace of giving: Grace to give generously to others (2 Co 8:1-4, 7-9).

8. Suffering grace: Grace to endure suffering, hardship, and even to die for the Lord (2 Co 12:9; Heb 2:9).

9. Strengthening grace: Grace that strengthens your heart (Heb 13:9).

10. Charismatic grace or the grace of gifts: Grace to operate God’s gifts (Rom 12:6).

11. Glorifying grace: Grace that enables the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to be glorified in you and you to be glorified in Him (2 Thes 1:12).

12. Helping grace: Grace to help us in our time of need (Heb 4:16).

Putting it All Together

I hope this has helped to demonstrate that there are many various forms of God's grace, not just saving grace. In fact, there are at least twelve forms of God's grace mentioned in Scripture, including saving grace, serving grace, foundation-building grace, speaking grace, writing grace, grace for godliness, existential grace, the grace of giving, suffering grace, strengthening grace, charismatic grace, glorifying grace, and helping grace. 

These affect not only our spiritual condition or position before God, but are very functional and practical forms of grace that enable us to put the Word of God into practice and to do the good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10). Once we come to know the Lord as one of His genuine disciples, He gives us these various kinds of grace at different times, often in answer to our prayers. so that we might be not only a hearer of the Word, but a doer of it as well (Js 1:22-24).

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. 

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, please also see the following: Costly Grace, Amazing Grace, By Grace Alone, Grace Mercy and Peace, Being Blessable, The Blessing of Abraham, and The Afflictions of the Righteous, You may find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and you may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." 

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe. 

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.