One of the differences between living a religious life, a life under law, and living under grace is under grace sin no longer has dominion over you (Romans 6.14). You see when you live under the law, the law is the strength of sin (1 Cor. 15.56) and the law wakes up sinful desires (Romans 7.5).
Ever wondered why a Christian can get involved in a horrific selfish and immoral lifestyle – it is because they have never really encountered the true grace of God and yielded to it. Nearly every time a preacher is exposed, we find out they were preaching legalism and negativity and anything other than grace. You have to realize this – preaching the law stirs up sin. The more we are free from the law, the more we grasp the grace of God, the more we can say no to ungodliness (Titus. 2.11). The grace of God… teaches us to say no to ungodliness. The law can tell you what is godly and what is ungodly, but only grace can teach and train us how to say no to ungodliness and yes to godliness.
Paul had a deeper revelation of grace than anyone I have ever met. He knew he was the least of the apostles and knew he did not deserve to be an apostle. But the more he grasped this grace, the more he “worked harder than all of them” (1 Cor. 15.9). Grace made Paul work hard. it never led to him sitting on the sofa missing church! If you are no longer attending church, no longer on fire for Jesus, no longer tithing, no longer serving the local church – don’t embarrass yourself and blame grace! Grace trains you to say no to sin, and grace makes you work harder than anyone else. That’s the Scriptural truth!
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