SHALL WE CONTINUE IN SIN?
By I. H. E.
The Relation of the Christian to the Law of God
WHEN the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Rome, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid," he suggested the true condition in which God would have His people ever live. It has not been the purpose of God that His chosen people should continue to sin. He has prepared full and complete deliverance for them. This salvation deals not with the past alone, but includes the present as well; for were we to have only forgiveness of sins already committed, and no help to keep from sinning in the present, how could the scripture be true which reads, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace"? Rom. 6: 14. IS THERE LIBERTY TO DISOBEY?
The gospel provides for the forgiveness of sins that are past. The comprehension of the love of God in receiving a poor, lost soul, and washing away his sins, is the first step in the Christian life. But from the day of real conversion, through all the coming days and years, what is the relation of the new-born soul to the law of God? Some tell us that when pardon is found, when the new birth takes place, there is liberty to disobey the law of God; that being under grace, we can violate the law of Jehovah without sinning. Let us look at this for a moment, and see whether it is true or false. This is a question that is vital to every professed Christian. If man were to answer it, there would be such a variety of definitions as would confuse the mind. We must therefore get our definition from the word of God. There we shall find statements dealing directly with the question. "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3: 4. What law is here meant? — None other than the Ten Commandments. In Rom. 2: 13 we read, "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." And again, in Rom. 5: 13, "Sin is not imputed when there is no law." It is very plain, from these texts, that sin is disobedience to the law of God. Now, does the professed Christian, the converted man, sin when he disobeys? "WHAT THEN? SHALL WE SIN?"
One of the commandments reads, "Thou shalt not kill." Does a Christian sin when he kills? After a man has been born into the kingdom of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, does he sin when he steals, blasphemes, or commits adultery? — He does not if being under grace frees one from obedience, and grants him the license to sin. If the Christian as well as the sinner is amenable to the law of God, all is clear. But if only the sinner must obey, and the professed Christian may disobey, what does the Bible mean when it says, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid"? Surely it can not mean that the Christian may murder, kill, steal, lie, blaspheme, and break the Sabbath. He has less right to do this than the sinner. If any must obey, it is God's adopted family. Then why are we told that the Christian "is not under the law"? — Because he keeps the law of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He refuses to disobey. Having been cleansed from sin through the blood of the covenant, he henceforth refuses to serve sin, but brings his life into harmony with God through the Holy Spirit. Should he disobey, he at once comes to the Saviour, confessing his sin, and is cleansed through faith in the blood of Christ. Now if any one of the commands of God is binding on Christians, the whole ten are binding. What Christian can break or disobey any of the ten precepts with impunity? Because Christ has forgiven a man for disobeying His law, and has imputed to him righteousness that he has never earned, should the cleansed sinner have the privilege of doing, as a Christian, what caused him to be reckoned a sinner before his conversion? — Surely not. The Christian must and will obey the law of God. The Christian delights in the law. It shows him the right way, and continually keeps before his mind the need of Christ. It really drives him to Christ for mercy. Every Christian, therefore, is obedient to the law of God, and nothing grieves him more than to know that he has disobeyed his Father's will. In speaking of this law, Paul says: "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. . . . For I delight in the law of God after the inward man." Rom. 7: 12, 22. It is through the ministry of the Holy Spirit that man may live the life of Christ, and by faith receive the imputation of Christ's righteousness. Thus he lives without condemnation, being obedient to his heavenly Father's will.