In Romans 5, Paul spent a lot of time and ink explaining how we are saved by the grace of God.   The chapter break ends this way:

20The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21

Whenever grace is emphasized someone invariably makes that charge: “Hey, if it’s by God’s grace that we are saved and not by works, why should we be concerned about living righteously?”

Paul anticipates this question in Romans 6:1

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Paul’s answer is terse.  The KJV reads “God forbid!”  That is a poor translation, since no Greek word for “God” is found in the original text.  Paul is simply saying “no” in the strongest way in the Greek.   Paul then asks a question of his own –  a profound thought-question for Christians:

How could we?

Why is this a thought-provoking question?  It’s packed with significance.  Let’s unpack it.

To begin, Paul didn’t say, “Certainly not, because God’s law requires you do x, y & z!”  He could have said it that way, but he didn’t.  He simply said, “How could we possibly keep sinning who have died to sin through the grace I’ve been expounding?”

Let’s notice, then, that the attitude of a believer should not be one of a moral obligation to God, but one of gratitude to God.  It’s always been this way.

When Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph with adultery he cried out, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Gen. 39:9

This is the same question Paul asked.  When you look at the context of the Genesis passage, Joseph is really saying, “How could I, who have received so much from God, do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”  It’s gratitude, not fear.  This doesn’t mean we should not fear God – just that fear is not God’s primary method of motivating His people.

This question remains for the believer today.  Yet for the Christian, it’s even more significant than for Joseph because we have Christ’s completed work acting in us.  Unlike Joseph’s spiritual state, Paul carefully explains the state we are in.

We died to sin (v. 1)

We were therefore buried with him (v.4)

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. (v.5)

because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. (v.7)

Paul says these things have happened – past tense – to those who believe, who have been united with Christ in the symbol of his death, burial and resurrection (baptism, v.3).  The resurrection Paul speaks of here is not the bodily resurrection at the end of time, but the resurrected life of the believer in this world.  New people act like new people, not like the old people.  This doesn’t mean we won’t struggle with the flesh from day to day, but overall our course is set.  It is not a course of sinless perfection.  It is a course of faith.

Let’s make one final point.  We may be thinking, “Then how do we encourage virtuous living?  How do we exhort people to moral behavior?”  Let’s look at how Paul does it.  Paul doesn’t use the “God said it, so you must do it” approach.   So what approach does he use?

He appeals to them with the gospel.

This is the only biblical way to move closer to God in your daily walk.  Self-determination to “follow the rules” isn’t going to get it.  Drawing from your inner-strength isn’t going to achieve it.  Positive thinking isn’t going to do it.  Pressure from other people around you isn’t going to work either.

Only understanding the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ is going to give us the power to truly change.  This is why we must constantly immerse ourselves in the gospel message.

How does this play out practically?  When you feel tempted by sin, don’t run to the passage that says, “don’t do this” or “don’t do that” and try to bend your will to the command.  Simply reading the direct commands of  scripture (and there are many) without seeing them in the proper context of the gospel will lead you down a road of failure and disappointment.

On the other hand, daily reminders of our acceptance through faith in Jesus Christ will give us the motivation and the power to truly overcome the sin in our lives – not just conform outwardly to a set of rules.

Should we presumptuously take advantage of God’s grace, then?  Should we continue in sin that grace may abound?

Certainly not!  How can we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Now that’s a good answer.