Romans 8:1-2 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
Those belonging to Christ are not in a one-way relationship. It is unfortunate that this needs to be said. However, it is easy to be led astray by misinterpreting a verse, taking things out of context, and not verifying everything that is said regarding the subject matter. This is evident by the response so many give when talking about being saved through obeying the gospel.
Some want to describe that being in Christ Jesus requires nothing on our part and that those who are in Christ are once saved – always saved. No matter what you do, you cannot be lost. We are “set free from sin and death” is what they will say when they come to this passage. Now what they mean by that is that they are free to sin because they are in Christ. We must know better than that.
Jude 4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed…ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
The warning here is that people have turned God’s grace into permission to live immoral lives. Because they are in Christ Jesus, then they are allowed to live however they please. Yet, God’s grace has never been a license to sin!
Those who are in Christ Jesus live in a particular way. It is not as if they are perfect people. The truth and reality of how Christians live is that they no longer live in the flesh. It is impossible to please God while continuing to live in the flesh. When saying “to live in the flesh”, we are not saying that it is impossible to please God while we are alive in our physical bodies. This is saying that we are continuing in our sin (the flesh) with no repentance. Being delivered from sin does not allow us to remain dead in our sins. Sin must become dead to us!
by Lee Elkins
