20160705 Tuesday, July 5 2016
Romans 06: What Does Grace Really Mean?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid ... For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The English-language word "grace" originated from a Greek word, pronounced khar-eese (a hint of the source pronunciation of "grace" is audible in khar-eese), which meant to rejoice (grateful, gratitude and agree are all derived from the same source as grace). "Grace" is used to translate that same word, from which it was derived, in the Holy Scriptures.

Grace is a state of being grateful for the forgiveness that comes, from the LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour), when one truly repents and genuinely lives according to God's Law, rather than Satan's loser ways of rebellion and perversion (see What Does Mercy Really Mean? and The Doers Of The Law). Grace is not about being ungrateful ("ungraceful") by doing nothing good, or blasphemously claiming that grace makes humans "free" of obedience to God (see Jude: Ungodly Men Who Turn Grace Into Lawlessness and Blaspheming The Name Of God):

"6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

6:2 God forbid.

How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? [Baptism is a portrayal of death, burial and resurrection of repentant people] 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:1-4 KJV)

Genuine Christians (in contrast to those who merely do as they please, in Christ's Name; see Will Jesus Christ Obey Your Christian Religion? and Why Call Me, Lord, Lord, and Do Not The Things Which I Say?) joyfully live according to God's Law because in it is true freedom - from deception now, and from eternal death in due time.

"6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him [see What Was The Lesson Of John 3:16?]: 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6:5-14 KJV)

Repentance means to turn, from the way of wrong to the way of right, by means of obeying God according to His Commandments (see Strait And Straight and Which Way Is Right And Left?).

"6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

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 of obedience unto righteousness?

6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness [see Concupiscence]. 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:15-23 KJV)

Fact Finder: Was the Messiah sacrificed for sinners, or for repentant sinners?
See Christ Died For Repentant Sinners