Romans 6:1–2 (NKJV)
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”
Romans 6:15 (NKJV)
“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!”
Reflection
The revelation of grace through Jesus Christ is one of the greatest gifts given to humanity. However, the Apostle Paul confronts a dangerous misunderstanding: the misuse of grace as a license to sin. This distortion—often referred to as licentiousness—suggests that because grace abounds, sin no longer matters. Paul’s response is emphatic: “Certainly not!”
Grace is not permission to sin; it is power to overcome sin.
When a believer encounters grace, a spiritual transformation occurs. According to Romans 6:2, we have “died to sin.” This means that sin no longer has dominion over us. Grace introduces us into a new identity—one where righteousness, not sin, defines our living. To continue in sin after receiving grace is to contradict the very essence of our new life in Christ.
Paul further clarifies in verse 15 that being “not under law but under grace” does not remove moral responsibility. Instead, grace elevates us into a higher standard—not external compliance with the law, but internal transformation by the Spirit. Grace teaches, disciplines, and empowers believers to live holy lives.
Licentiousness is a subtle but destructive error in the body of Christ today. It manifests when people:
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Justify sinful habits under the guise of “God understands”
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Downplay repentance because “grace covers all”
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Resist spiritual discipline, assuming grace replaces obedience
But true grace produces the opposite effect. As seen in Titus 2:11–12 (NKJV):
“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.”
Grace is therefore a teacher, not an enabler of sin.
To live by grace means:
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You are empowered to say no to sin
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You are transformed from within
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You pursue holiness not out of fear, but out of love and gratitude to God
Key Lessons
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Grace does not excuse sin; it destroys sin’s dominion.
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A true encounter with grace results in a changed lifestyle.
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Being under grace means living in righteousness, not lawlessness.
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Grace empowers obedience—it does not replace it.
Prayer Points
- O Lord, we worship You because all power and majesty belong to You alone in Jesus’ name. (Psalm 62:11, Matthew 28:18).
- Father, we thank You for the access to the grace of salvation that we have through the name of Jesus. (Acts 4:12).
- Father, we thank You for being our strong tower, our refuge and unlimited strength in Jesus’ name. (Psalm 46:1).
- O Lord, we ask for mercy and forgiveness as we confess our sins in Jesus’ name. (1 John 1:9).
- O Lord, we break the power of sin and iniquity over our lives, family and District in Jesus’ name. (Romans 6:10).
- O Lord, fill my heart with Your love that I may choose You over sin every day of my life in Jesus’ name. (Matthew 22:37 38).
- I declare my freedom from every yoke of sin in Jesus’ name. (Romans 6:18).
- We declare that all our youths and children are free from lustful distractions and thoughts in Jesus’ name. (2 Timothy 2:22).
- O Lord, let my life and family be a testament of Your goodness and righteousness in Jesus’ name. (Proverbs 14:34).
10.O Lord, I put off every cloth of iniquity and put on Your righteousness in Jesus’ name. (Isaiah 61:10).
- Every foundation and fountain of sin and iniquity in my life is destroyed in Jesus’ name. (Romans 6:14).
- I declare that I am planted in God’s righteousness, and nothing will uproot me out of His righteousness in Jesus’ name. (Amos 9:15).
- I declare that my family and I will abound in the grace of the righteousness of God forever in Jesus’ name. (2 Corinthians 9:8).
- I declare that my life shall continually be fruitful in Christ’s righteousness in Jesus’ name. (Colossians 1:10).
- O Lord, we thank You for answering all our prayers and giving us bountiful joy in You in Jesus’ name. (Psalm 40:1).
