God’s Grace versus Lasciviousness

That there are people who are external to Christianity but who nonetheless want to think of themselves (and be thought of by others) as being Chrstians has been true since the beginning of Christianity. There was Simon the sorcerer who thought he could buy the Holy Spirit of God from the apostle Peter for a sum of money (Acts 8). The writer of Hebrews wrote about profane persons (like Esau) being among the believers (Hebrews 12:16), and Paul enjoined the readers of his letter to the Corithians to:

2 Cor 13:5

5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test?

(NIV)

There is also that misunderstanding of Christianity which presumes that since “Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3) one is therefore free to go about sinning all one wants to. This was the slander that was often leveled at Paul’s gospel:

Rom 3:8

8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? ... .

(KJV)

This kind of thing culuminated into an actual doctrine that was later preached in Christian assemblies:

Jude 1:4

4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness ...(KJV)

[Lasciviousness simply means not being able to control one’s appetites. It does not neccessarily refer to sex, but often does simply because sex is the appetite most people cannot control.]

Rev 2:20,24

20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols ...

24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

(KJV)

The idea was that one could learn all there was to know about the grace of God by plunging into the depths of Satan in order to be forgiven. (!) ( Note well that this idea is the polar opposite of the idea of sinless perfection. Satan is often the lord of the extremes.)

Of this I idea, I will simply say the following.

Image, if you will, running a business that has been financed by a wealthy relative. Yes, it is the wealthy relative’s money and not your own that you are running the business with. And yes, you will take losses from time to time that your wealthy relative will eat. But the purpose of the business is not for you to deliberately pile up loss after loss just because your wealthy relative is providing the money to keep it afloat. The purpose of the business is to keep it in business despite the losses. This is the relationship that santification has to sin. Santification is the business of staying near Christ and being conformed by Him to His image. Sins are the losses that get incurred by the business while it is being conducted in this world.

1 Cor 6:13-15

13 ... Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

(KJV)

Forgiveness of sins is not so that we can indulge them to the full without consequence, but rather so that our consciences can be cleansed enough for us to have fellowship with Christ at the heart’s door without shame, despite our sins. It is so that God can be “just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom 3:26) The business of God is the worship of Himself by His creatures who can worship. This is why C.S. Lewis refered to joy as “the serious business of heaven.”