" Stamp Out Grace Abuse!"

Sermon by Pastor David Layman,

March 19, 2006

Romans 6:1-4, 15-23

It has been said that death and taxes are the only constants in life.
To this, a person once added Yes, but death doesnt get worse every
time Congress meets. Congress is forever making laws trying to reform
and improve our country (with the possible side benefit, of increasing
their chances of being reelected!) But for every intended reform, there
tend to be loopholes that someone discovers and exploits. Campaign
finance reform has been attempted for years, but things dont seem to be
getting better!

The Apostle Paul noted long ago that even the law of Moses wasnt enough
to make people good. Ultimately, it takes more than great laws to make
people good. It requires appropriating Gods grace, offered freely to us
through the cross of Christ. But just like many Americans are forever
looking for loopholes in laws, human nature may be bound and determined
to try to exploit Gods grace and forgiveness.

Philip Yancey tells of Daniel, a friend of his, who confided to Yancey
that he had decided to leave his wife of 15 years. (Whats So Amazing
About Grace? Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1997, pp. 179-180) Hed found
someone younger and prettier, whom, he said, makes me feel alive, like
I havent felt in years. Daniel and his wife didnt have any major
differences. He simply wanted a change, like a man who gets an itch for
a new car. Daniel maintained he was a Christian, and knew his leaving
would inflict pain on his wife and three children. Even so, he said, the
force pulling him to this younger woman was too strong to resist. Then
Daniel continued Philip...the reason I wanted to see you tonight was to
ask you a question thats been bothering me....Do you think God can
forgive something as awful as I am about to do?

In recent weeks, weve been focussing on the power of Gods amazing
grace. We know that God forgave King David for his adultery, Peter for
denying Jesus, Paul for persecuting the church. A father in Jesus
parable forgave his prodigal son, even though the young man had
squandered much of his fathers fortune in riotous living. Some gladly
conclude Hey, if God is so full of grace and forgiveness, lets go out
and live it up. God will forgive us! As Paul wrote to the Romans in
chapter 6, anticipating this line of thought: What then are we to say?
Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means!

If were truthful, we know that many operate on this level. Grace
abuse is a significant problem. Give some people a small loophole, and
theyll drive a semi truck through it, running over you and their
grandmother in the process! Yancey writes that he had to study German to
get a graduate degree. It was tedious work, and only the threat of
consequences (not receiving his degree) kept him on track. If the
registrar had told him Philip, weve already gotten your diploma made
out. Knowing a foreign language can be a blessing, but youll get your
degree whether you learn German or not, Philip said that there was no
chance that he would study hard!

We err if we conclude well receive Gods grace because everyone will
eventually be saved. If we believe God likes us so much, were in,
regardless, we will commit grace abuse. Perhaps a warning label needs
to be stamped on our right hands, which reads Warning: committing grace
abuse is a capitol offense, and may result in serious, eternal
consequences. Because we dare not approach Gods grace in such a way,
or there could be hell to pay! We have two opposite but dangerous
viewpoints prevalent in our day. Some are convinced theyve made such a
mess of their lives, that there is no forgiveness or hope available. On
the other extreme, some believe that theyre such cool folks, regardless
of how they live and think, Gods going to have to accept them. Theyre
in, and they dont need to worry about any eternal consequences for
their actions. Have you noticed that when a life to come is referred to
in movies, everyone is in heaven? Grace abuse!

Paul wrote How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Paul is
saying that if our fellowship with the risen Christ is real, we wont be
thinking thoughts like Lets continue to sin a lot so Gods grace can
forgive us. Thats what those in recovery might call stinkin
thinkin! Paul wrote If you present yourselves to anyone as obedient
slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which
leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness.
Furthermore, Now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God,
the advantage you get is sanctification (becoming more and more
Christlike). For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

To go back to Philip Yanceys illustration of his friend Daniel, who was
asking if God would forgive him for leaving his wife and three children
for a younger woman, Paul would say Daniel, youre not in a living
relationship with Christ if youre seriously contemplating doing such a
thing. Jesus didnt die on a cross so you could break your wifes heart
and your three children's hearts by leaving them, then think you can
show up to a priest and say Sorry, and Gods grace will enable you to
do as you please until 10 years from now, when you trade the woman you
left your wife and 3 kids for for yet another new woman.

The reason the loving Father in Jesus parable forgave his prodigal son
and welcomed him home with grace was that the son acknowledged the
emptiness of his own life, and the wrongfulness of his actions. The
prodigal son didnt return in arrogance but humility. St. Augustine said
God gives where he finds empty hands. (Yancey, p. 180) The prodigal
son returned home with empty hands and received grace. If the prodigal
son had placed a collect call from a flop house in a far away country,
with a prostitute in his arms, and said Dad, can you wire me more
money?, the prodigal wouldnt have received grace, but a visit from his
not too happy father! A Father who loved his son regardless, but would
refuse to be forever taken advantage of!

Walter Trobisch notes Christ accepts us as we are, but when he accepts
us, we cannot remain as we are. (p. 184) A real encounter and
relationship with the living Christ humbles us, helping us see how far
we fall short. At the same time, it blesses us with grace and a new
beginning. Because Jesus is walking beside us, we dont want to stay as
we are. We receive power to become much more!

Yancey grudgingly studied German, because he knew he had to in order to
get a degree. But he also pondered What if I fell in love with a German
woman who spoke only German? Then Yancey would be motivated to learn
all the German he could, because hed want to spend the rest of his life
with her. Its absurd for us to approach God with the attitude God, how
much can I get away with and youll still love me? It would be like a
man saying to his wife just after the wedding Honey, I love you, but I
want to work out some details. Now that were married, how far can I go
with other women? You dont mind a few affairs now and then, do you?
Just think of all the opportunities youll have to forgive me after I
betray you! If thats the way we approach Gods grace, we obviously
dont really know the first thing about Jesus. With such an attitude,
were asking for Gods judgment, not Gods grace!

Personally, I would not make a good eternal judge of the universe. I
cant always discern when someone is feeding me a line, and when theyre
telling me the truth. I would not make a good probation officer, nor
would I make a good judge. But, thankfully, I am not the judge of the
universe. God is. People can fool me. But we cant fool God. Dont worry
about Gods grace being the same thing as a blank check that people can
exploit and take to the bank. If we approach God with a What can I get
away with? attitude, we wont get far. If we really love God, its not
enough to put on our best clothes, sing piously and presume were in.

We can only advance to the kingdom of heaven if we become like the woman
caught in adultery that was brought by an angry mob to Jesus: trembling,
humbled, without excuse, hands open to receiving Gods grace! And
willing to give it her best when Jesus challenged her to go and begin a
new life!

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