WHICH HAS MORE POWER OVER OUR LIVES? SIN OR GRACE?

I am sure that every single professed Christian in this world, if asked the question: "Is there more power in the grace of God or in sin?" - most, if not all, would answer with a resounding ... "the grace of God has more power!!"

So my question is, why do many live as if sin has more power?!

This is a serious point to ponder and question ourselves with every day. We know the truth, but many of us live a different reality. We know that the grace of God has more power. But many of us live as if sin has the most power. Now it is a true statement that under the reign and power of grace it is just as easy to do right, as under the reign and power of sin it is easy to do wrong. This must be true, because if there is no more power in grace than there is in sin, then there can be no salvation from sin. But praise be to God there is salvation from sin; and no one who believes in Jesus Christ can deny this.

Matthew 1:21 ...'And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people FROM their sins.'

NOTE TO SELF: We are not told that Jesus saves us 'IN' our sins, to continue in sin, but 'FROM' our sins! Yet salvation from sin certainly depends upon there being more power in grace than there is in sin. Then if it is true that there is more power in the grace of God than there is in sin, wherever the power of grace can have control, it will be just as easy to do right as without this power it is easy to do wrong.

I do not think that anyone has ever yet naturally found it difficult to do wrong. Our great difficulty has always been to do right. But this is because man naturally is enslaved to a power - the power of sin - which is absolute in its reign. And so long as that power has sway over us, it is not only difficult but impossible to do the good that we know we should. But if we let a mightier power than sin have sway, then is it not plain enough that it will be just as easy to serve the will of the mightier power, when it reigns, as it was to serve the will of the other power when it reigned?

Romans 6:14-15 ...'For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.'

Does God do away with His law so that we are no longer under sin? God forbid! No! He gives power by His grace to bring us "unto obedience" (1 Peter 1:2)

The good news is that there is much more power in grace than there is in sin ... "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Romans 5:20). Praise God!

How much more power, then, is there in the grace of God than there is in sin? Let us think for a moment, and ask ourselves a question or two. From whence comes grace? From God ... "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:2). From whence comes sin? From the devil ... "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning" (1 John 3:8). Well, then, how much more power is there in grace than there is in sin? It is as plain as A B C that there is much more power in grace than there is in sin, as there is more power in God than there is in the devil. It is therefore also perfectly plain that the reign of grace is the reign of God; and that the reign of sin is the reign of Satan. Then is it not perfectly plain also, that it is just as easy to serve God by the power of God as it is to serve Satan with the power of Satan?

Let me go even further. It should be EASIER to do right and serve God in spirit and truth when we come under the power of grace, than it is to do wrong under the power of Satan and sin, because the grace of God is MORE POWERFUL than sin.

So where is the difficulty? Why do we know this, yet many of us not live it?

With some, the difficulty lies in seeking to live by BOTH the power of God's grace AND the power of Satan and sin at the same time, many without even realizing. What do I mean by this? There are many a professed Christian who seeks to be saved by Christ, but are not willing to give up the sins of the flesh and pleasures of the world (kingdom of Satan). They seek to be saved IN their sins. They seek to be covered by God's grace, all the while continuing to live for the flesh and for sin. But that can never, NEVER be done!

Matthew 6:24 ...'No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.'

Matthew 7:18 ...'A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.'

Matthew 12:33 ...'Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.'

We are told in 1 John 2:15 that we are "NOT to Love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." So if we claim to be of Christ, and yet still love and live for the things of this world, then we lie and are deceived, because it is not possible to serve both the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. It is either one or the other. And this is the difficulty of many; seeking to live by both the power of God and the power of Satan. But end up only with the power of Satan, and thus sin continues to reign in their life.

Romans 6:16 ...'Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, OR ... OR .... OR of obedience unto righteousness?' [added emphasis]

"CHOOSE you this day whom ye will serve" (Joshua 24:15).

Did Jesus ever find it difficult to do right? Every one will instantly say, No! But why? He became just as human as we are (Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:15). He took flesh and blood the same as ours (Romans 1:3; Romans 8:3; John 1:14). And the kind of flesh that he was made in this world, was precisely such as was already in this world. "In all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren." In ALL things. He was made in all things like as we are. He was of himself in human nature as weak as we are; for he said, "I can of mine own self do nothing" (John 5:30).

Why then, being in all things like as we are, was Jesus always able to do right and never sin? Because he never trusted to himself, but his trust was always in God His Father alone. Christ's dependence was upon the grace of God. He always sought to serve God, and only with the power of God. Therefore the Father dwelt in him, and did the works of righteousness (John 14:10). Therefore, being reigned by the grace and power of God the Father, it was always easy for Christ to do right, just as those of us who are reigned with the power of Satan and sin find it easy to do wrong. And this is where the other difficulty is with many professed Christians today. Instead of looking to Christ and the power of God, we look to ourselves and our weaknesses. What if Christ focused upon his weaknesses in human flesh while on earth instead of looking to, focusing on, surrendering and trusting in the power of His Father in heaven? It would no longer be easy for him to do what is right.

"Oh I can never keep God's law perfectly. I will always sin while in this flesh" ...I ...I ...I! Do you see the problem? The focus is SELF and the power of sin, rather than the power of Christ! In answer to this, Paul's following words should ring out!

Galatians 2:20 ...'I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; YET NOT I, but CHRIST liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.'

Oh how many of us fail time and time again due to focusing on self and the power of sin over us, rather than focusing on Christ and the power of God's grace and spirit to change, transform and perfect. Christ has left us an example, that we should follow his steps (1 Peter 2:21). An example of, not focusing on human weakness, but upon the grace and power of God Almighty - our Father in heaven. And all power - ALL POWER in heaven and earth is given unto Christ (Matthew 28:18). So if we learn to look to, focus on, surrender and trust in Jesus Christ, just as Jesus did His Father while on earth in fallen flesh, then we too will come under the reign of the grace of God, which as we learned has MORE POWER than the devil and sin.

Colossians 1:11 ...'Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.'

2 Peter 1:3-4 ...'According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.'

Ephesians 3:20 ...'Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.'

Did you read that? We can be strengthened with ALL might, according to the glorious power of God! And his divine power gives us ALL THINGS that pertain to godliness! And God is able to do, not just abundantly above, but EXCEEDINGLY abundantly above all that we ask or think! Wow! So if we LET God do this in us, focusing on HIS POWER through Christ BY FAITH, no longer focusing on self and our weaknesses, then Satan and sin will have NO power over us, and instead of finding it easy to sin, we will find it easy to do righteousness - the righteousness of Christ. Glory to God in the highest!

True, Christ partook of the divine nature. But so can we, according to 2 Peter 1:3-4. There was nothing given to Christ in this world, and he had nothing in this world, that is not freely given to you and I, as the apostle Paul said ... "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32).

All this is in order that we may walk in newness of life; that henceforth we may not serve sin; that instead we may be the servants of righteousness only; that we may be freed from sin; that sin may not have dominion over us; that we may glorify God on the earth; and that we may be like Jesus. So instead of just "knowing" that the grace of God has more power than sin and Satan. Let us start LIVING and EXPERIENCING it, that we may bring glory to our heavenly Father.

Jude 1:24 ...'Now UNTO HIM that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.'

Hebrews 12:2 ...'LOOKING UNTO JESUS the author and finisher of our faith.'

John 15:4-5 ...'Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.'

THE SAME POWER THAT CREATED HEAVEN AND EARTH IS AVAILABLE TO US

THE TRUE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD - WHICH KINGDOM ARE YOU PARTAKING OF?

BY BEHOLDING WE BECOME CHANGED - PUTTING ON THE MIND OF CHRIST JESUS