Is preaching grace a license for sin?

What would you do if you found out that somebody (without any obligations whatsoever), had paid off all your debts and added a fortune into your bank account? Would you be disloyal to them? Would you repay their goodness with contempt, pride, and arrogance? Only one follied would repay such goodness (grace) with evil.

Still not convinced? What would you think of a homeless person who found out they had inherited a fortune and yet chose to eat and sleep in filth? There is no such thing as an abuse of grace, rather what is being ‘abused’ is a counterfeit (Jude 1:1-4) because Grace is not a license for sin, rather it is the power to overcome sin.

The woman caught in adultery was surrounded by religious wolves hounding for her death but JESUS (oh wonderful Jesus) told her that she was not condemned when stones had been picked to execute her, and that gave her the power to “go and sin no more.” – John 8:1-12.

What about the prostitute that broke an expensive fragrance over His feet (the whole room in shock of course) and as did Mary too (whom he cast seven demons out of), the sister of Martha and Lazarus. How did these women who were shown grace at their lowest moment react? Did they abuse it?

Well, what was our Lord’s response to the religious and spiritually proud speaking out against these women? He said,

“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” – Luke 7:47

Mary (of Bethany, not Magdalene) became an ardent follower of Christ and was found at His feet hearing every word He had to say (Luke 10:38-42). What are Jesus’ words? They are Spirit and they are life (John 6:63). Hallelujah.

And so, just like my Master I will preach and show grace to the sinner because it is God’s goodness that leads men to repentance.

Peter denied our Saviour three times but Jesus asks him thrice if he loved Him (for each time he denied Him) and then goes ahead to promote him! At his lowest moment, when God had all the right to reject Him, He showed him great grace. He said to Simon twice that he was to feed his sheep and once more to feed his lambs (John 21:15-19). And boy did he ever do it. Just read the first half of the book of Acts and His powerful epistles.

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.” – Titus 2:11‭-‬15

What is grace? It is unmerited (undeserved) favour. Grace also means that you rest from your own ‘good’ works (which are filthy rags really by God’s standards) and let God work in you His perfect, flawless work in you, by you, and through you. He does the whole work and therefore gets the glory (Eph 2:8-9). “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” – Phil 2:13

That was the secret to the power behind the Apostle Paul’s amazing life. It was the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” –1 Corinthians 15:9‭-‬10