Forgiveness gives us a start on the path that leads to life. The Lord Jesus Himself is the Way, the Truth, and the Life that lead us to the Father. We cannot enjoy fellowship with the Father except as we walk in the light of God's will, a will that continually is transforming us in preparation for eternal life in the new world of righteousness.

In place of the "rapture" of untransformed individuals to remove them from the problems of the world, the scriptural emphasis is on the removal of spiritual death, on the obtaining of resurrection life by gaining victory over sin.

The unsaved person cannot gain victory over his sinful behavior. But because of the legal processes and Virtue included in the new covenant, the individual who abides in the Lord Jesus can and shall gain victory over sin until eternal life is solidly in his possession.

The unsaved person is doomed to remain in captivity to sin and to suffer the resulting corruption and death (separation from God).

The saved person has the resources, through the Lord Jesus, to conquer sin and to enter eternal life and glory (union with God through Christ).

If we do not understand the above, then we do not understand the sixth chapter of the Book of Romans; neither do we understand the Christian salvation.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1)

Since the Apostle Paul had stressed that under the new covenant we no longer are obligated to obey the Law of Moses, the conclusion could be drawn that we are free to keep on sinning. The idea is that our continuing to sin produces an increase of grace—the grace of God needed to cover our continuing sinfulness and rebellion against God.

This reasoning is perverse. We know that God's intention under all covenants is that men practice justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. If the new covenant excuses us from the necessity for righteous behavior, and the idea is to magnify the mercy and forgiveness of God, then the new covenant is inferior to every other covenant God has made with mankind.

Contrary to current thinking, the new covenant is not a provision God has made for people walking in lust and rebellion to have fellowship with God. New-covenant grace is not primarily forgiveness, although it includes forgiveness. New-covenant grace is primarily the means of our deliverance from Satan, and our change into the moral image of Christ and entrance into restful union with God through Christ.

Is the conclusion to be drawn from Paul's argument against the Jews that believers in Christ ought to continue sinning so that Divine grace may increase? Not at all, although from today's preaching one could wonder if we really are convinced that the new covenant is not an invitation to sin. Perhaps it is true (we muse) that if we continue to sin, grace increases and covers that sin so we may remain acceptable to God, and that this is a desirable condition from God's point of view.

To be continued.