Part CXIII on Galatians Study

Romans 3:8
"And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some  [those that opposed him] affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just." (and sure)
We sometimes hear that even in our own culture. "Well to be under the Grace of God means that I'm saved and now I can do as I please." Listen, the Scripture never teaches that, and when Paul says, "that it was reported, it was slanderously reported." In other words, they were trying to drag the guy's ministry down in the mud by telling people, "Oh the Apostle Paul just teaches that once you're saved you are at liberty to do what ever you want to do." And there have been some great men that took that line, but not the Apostle Paul. Now turn with us here in Romans to chapter 5 and verse 20, and the text is also along this same line of thinking. That, yes, we're saved by Grace, we live by Grace, we walk by Grace, and all is in the power of the Holy Spirit within us but that is not license.

Romans 5:20
"Moreover the law entered, that the offence (that sin might be seen for what it really is) might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:"
Now that tells us that no matter how far down an individual can go into sin and wickedness, yet the Grace of God is always capable of going even lower and bring that individual back up to a place of righteousness. Now verse 21.

Romans 5:21
"That as sin hath reigned (like a king) unto death, even so might grace (this liberty, this freedom) reign through righteousness unto eternal life by  ( or through)  Jesus Christ our Lord."
All right then come on into chapter 6 verse1. We're sure that Paul still has on his mind that he was slanderously reported in chapter 3 to have taught that they could now do as they please. 

Romans 6:1-2
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (in other words, are we to actually test God's offer of Grace, by seeing how much evil we can do, and get away with it?) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, (to the old Adam nature or Satan-nature) live any longer therein?"
So this is the whole concept, that yes we're set free, we are at liberty, and yet not liberty to go contrary to the Word of God or God's Will. Now that wouldn't make sense would it? But to have liberty as a believer is so wonderful. But this is an area where we can have a difference of opinion, because something that might not strike me as being intrinsically sinful to some one else it may be. So here is where our liberty comes into play. We have to determine between our self-will and the Lord as to what our behavior is going to be in certain areas. We covered this and a good example is giving.

Someone may be led to give 30 or 40 percent of their income, well that's great, but someone else may not be able to have that kind of opportunity, and they may give considerably less, but no one is mandated as to how much they give in this Age of Grace. That's Christian liberty! That's what we have in Grace. Now that's just one example. Now coming back to Galatians chapter 5. We are not to use this liberty as an occasion to the flesh, and say, "Well I'm now saved, I'm a child of God and I can do whatever I wish." Well we think most true believers know better than that. It's these people who may have tasted of salvation, and had an emotional experience, but they've never really entered in to a genuine and true salvation experience. Now those kind of people may be able to take this approach, but for the true believer we believe most of them know better than that. Now verse 13 again.