FAITH: Comes by Hearing the Word of God
Romans 6:1–2: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
FAITH: Comes by Studying the Word of God
Justification removes the guilt and penalty of sin; sanctification removes the growth and the power of sin. The very fact that Paul is asking this question makes it obvious that he understood justification to mean a declaration of righteousness; that it did not mean to make a person good, but to declare a person good. Justification means that the guilt or the penalty of sin is removed, not the power of sin in this life. He’s going to talk about removing the power of sin. If God has declared you to be righteous and has removed the guilt of your sin, then, my friend, you cannot continue in sin. 1
FAITH: Comes by Obeying the Word of God
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13
Jesus, thank You for saving me from the penalty of sin. This was all by Your marvelous grace. Now I need more and more of Your sanctifying grace over the power of sin. Receiving such abundant grace, may convince a saved sinner to keep sinning in order to receive more and more abundant grace. But that was never God’s intention. We now live completely dependent upon His grace. We must experience His daily power to defeat the temptation to sin, and to live a Spirit-filled life to the glory of God.
FAITH: Comes by Experiencing the Transforming Work of God
His amazing grace saved me from the penalty of sin and now His amazing grace keeps saving me from the power to sin.
FAITH: Comes by Praying with the Word of God
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
Dear Father, thank You for hiding me in Your Son…in Jesus Name. Amen.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (Romans 1-8) (electronic ed., Vol. 42, p. 105). Nashville.
