Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Sin And Grace Cannot Agree


























Sin and grace can no more agree than fire and water. Even the God of peace never tries to establish a peace between good and evil, for it would be monstrous even if it were possible. The way to peace is the way of holiness. Cast out sin, and you cast out contention. Subdue iniquity, and peace wins the victory.

Beloved, it is of no use for us to seek happiness of life except by the way of holiness of conversation*. I have already declared that we have peace with God through the atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ; but for deep calm of heart and quiet of conscience there must be a work of sanctification within us wrought by the power which raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Sin is our enemy, and the new life within us is heartily at enmity with evil, and therefore peace can never be proclaimed in the triple kingdom of our nature until we always do that which is well pleasing in the sight of the Lord, through Jesus Christ.

* - In modern English the old word "conversation" means "life" or "lifestyle."

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The God Of Peace And Our Sanctification," delivered August 5, 1877. Image by Jenny Downing on Flickr under Creative Commons License.

1 comment:

Chuck O'Neal said...

Many desire Christian peace without Christian righteousness in their life (family, friends, work, & play). To expect peace with God while still taking up the arms of sin and rebellion against Him is folly. Christ always preached "repent and believe the Gospel" NOT "believe the Gospel" and live any way you like. Inner and outer peace comes when you know that you are a child of God by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and you live like it in glad obedience to the faith.