OSAS Refresher

Q

I hear a great deal of debate regarding “Hyper Grace” which I understand is the belief that sin has no consequences because of Gods grace. They say our sins are already forgiven, so it does not matter if we sin. I know that “we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s Glory”, but I also believe that we are to confess our sin and repent of the sin i.e., turn away from the sin. In my mind, deliberately sinning, believing that sin has no consequences, is rejecting what Christ died for! He died and paid the penalty for my sin so that I could be restored back to the Father; not so that I could go back to the sin that He died to set me free from. I hope this makes sense?

A

There is no statement in the New Testament that threatens Church Age born again believers with the loss of salvation. In fact it clearly states that our salvation was guaranteed from the moment of belief (Ephes 1:13-14, 2 Cor. 1:21-22), that in God’s sight we’ve become a new creation, as righteous as He is (2 Cor. 5:17,21) and are perfect forever in His sight (Hebr. 10:12-14). This righteousness is from God and comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Romans 3:21-22).

Only those who reject the Biblical doctrine of eternal security make the claim that it gives believers a “license to sin”, and that there are no consequences for sinning. Those who accept eternal security are quick to reject that notion. It’s just that they know the loss of one’s salvation is not one of the consequences.

The notion that Jesus only died for the sins we committed before we were saved and after that, we are required to live a sin free life is not consistent with the doctrine of Grace—and as a practical matter is impossible. As long as we have a sin nature, we will continue to sin (Romans 7:14-20). People who claim to be without sin are deceiving themselves and the truth is not in them (1 John 1:8), but 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

By the way, the Greek word translated “repent” means to change one’s mind. (When Peter told his Jewish listeners to “repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38) he was telling them to change their minds about trying to earn a righteousness of their own and come to Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.)

Unbelievers have to change their minds about their behavior in order to be saved. They have to admit they are sinners and without the Lord’s death on their behalf they are lost. Once they do that and ask Him to save them, their repentance is complete.