ABOUNDING GRACE

Fretwell@aol.com (Fretwell@aol.com)
Fri, 23 Aug 1996 13:27:16 -0400
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                   ABOUNDING GRACE
     Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But
where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 
     I'm glad Paul penned those words.  They have been a comfort to me many
times, for I have often come shy of the mark of righteousness since I came to
know Jesus as my Saviour.
     For some time after I surrendered my life to Him I was of the impression
that since my sins were forgiven, I would not be bothered any more by the
works of the flesh.
     How wrong I was in my assessment of Godliness.  Before long, I was fully
aware of the continued presence of the tendency to do what was wrong in the
sight of God.
     This brought real confusion to me, and I was rapidly sinking into
discouragement when God, in His Love, rescued me and set my thinking
straight.
     You see, we Holiness people prided ourselves in our holiness.  Without
realizing what we were doin, we were looking down on poor souls who couldn't
hide their times of missing the mark, like we had learned to do.
     But I guess I was one of the more honest ones, and had to admit, to
myself at least, that I was very far from being perfect after I came to
Jesus.
     One day, in my desperation, the Holy Spirit illuninated the scriptures
in Romans and showed me that Paul was telling us what we should AIM AT,
rather than WHERE WE WERE.
     Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace
may abound?   God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer
therein? 
     If we endeavour to live above the failings of the flesh, and fail, there
is the safety net of the Grace of God-- ALWAYS THERE to sustain us.
     That is why Paul could write, Romans 8:1 [There is] therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. 
     We are constantly FOLLOWING either the flesh or the Spirit.  If we
FOLLOW the Spirit, and have accidents-- we suffer no condemnation.