As we continue our series on grace, today we focus on how sin affects the life of a new creation believer even though grace is freely given. Many struggle to fully walk in God’s blessing because they are bound by legalism, relying on performance and striving for self-righteousness instead of simply receiving the gift of righteousness through Christ.
To fully understand how sin affects us today, we must first recognize that man is a tripartite being: a spirit (eternal and born of God) who possesses a soul (mind, will, and emotions) and lives in a body (flesh). In Genesis 2, God commanded Adam, saying: “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (vs.16-17). When Adam and Eve were deceived into eating the fruit, it was not their body that immediately died, but their spirit, which became separated from God. This was the moment sin entered humanity, making all who came after them spiritually dead. However, when we accepted Christ, we were made alive and our spirit was sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), ensuring that spiritual death could never touch us again. This is why Scripture declares, ”And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1); “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13).
Our spirit is eternally righteous before God and incapable of sin: ”Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9). This is why 1 John 4:17 declares, “As He is, so are we in this world.” Because in our spirit, we are as righteous, holy, and blameless as Christ Himself. However, our soul and body can still fall into sin, giving the enemy a foothold. This is why 1 Peter 5:8 warns, “the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” If we continue operating in the realm of the flesh, we expose ourselves to the enemy’s attacks, accusations, and condemnation. This is why we must continually renew our minds and bring our bodies into alignment with the Spirit (Romans 12:2), because while sin has been dealt with, Satan still seeks to exploit our mistakes and use them against us. So though we now live under grace, it is not a license to sin, because sin has consequences. Apostle Paul addresses this in Romans 6:1-2, saying, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”
Now that we understand how grace has dealt with sin, how should we respond? Hebrews 13:9 urges us not to be carried away by various doctrines, but to let our hearts be established in grace. When our hearts are rooted in grace, they are free from guilt and condemnation, as 1 John 3:21 assures us: “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” With this confidence, we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). So while legalism condemns us and brings fear, grace reminds us that we are pleasing in God’s sight, that He sees Jesus in us, and therefore invites us to approach Him freely and boldly. Grace simply accepts the gift of righteousness, without considering any other human factors. We see this with our father in the faith, Abraham, whose past mistakes and shortcomings did not nullify God’s promise or blessings. Instead, Abraham was able to receive the promise because his heart was established in God’s grace – he did not rely on his own ability or efforts, but believed in the One who had promised. Romans 4:20-22 describes Abraham’s response to God’s promise, saying, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was also able to perform. And therefore it was accounted to him of righteousness.” This is the essence of grace – God does not bless us because we are deserving, but because He is faithful and His grace is sufficient for us. Let us therefore walk boldly in grace, knowing that we are righteous through Christ. Instead of striving for self-righteousness, let us rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of grace and righteousness through Christ Jesus. We acknowledge that our spirit is alive in You, and sin no longer defines us. May our hearts be established in grace, free from guilt or condemnation, knowing that sin has been conquered. Help us to walk boldly in Your love and rest in the finished work of the cross rather than our own efforts. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
