Turning from Sin to Sovereign Grace in Christian Life
The Christian life involves a fundamental turning from sin to embrace God's sovereign grace, a concept deeply rooted in biblical teaching. This turning, often termed conversion, signifies a decisive shift in allegiance and lifestyle [9]. The Apostle Paul describes this transformation in Romans, stating that "as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" [1]. This highlights a transition from the dominion of sin, which leads to death, to the reign of grace, which leads to eternal life through Christ [10].
Conversion is characterized as turning from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, leading to the remission of sins and an inheritance among the sanctified [2, 9]. This act of grace frees the sinner from the guilt and penalty of their sins, a prerogative belonging uniquely to God [5]. The forgiveness of sin is a constituent part of justification, where God absolves the sinner from condemnation on account of Christ's work [5].
The concept of grace is central to this transformation. Grace is understood as a divine gift, with God being the ultimate giver [6]. It is described as sovereign, meaning it is freely given by God and not earned by human effort [6]. This sovereign grace is manifested through Jesus Christ, who was full of grace and through whom grace came [6]. The abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness allow believers to "reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ" [3].
This turning from sin is not merely a moral reformation but a profound work of the Holy Spirit, bringing the entire person under the influence of new, gracious principles implanted during regeneration [8]. This process, known as sanctification, aims to perfect the work begun in regeneration and extends to the whole person [8]. Believers are exhorted not to present their bodies to sin as instruments of unrighteousness but to present themselves to God as those alive from the dead, offering their bodies as instruments of righteousness [4].
The contrast between being "under the law" and "under grace" is crucial for understanding this shift. To be under the law implies being subject to its demands for perfect obedience and its curse for failure, which, without grace, leads to an inability to keep it [11]. In contrast, being "under grace" means that sin will not have dominion over believers, as they are no longer slaves to a tyrannical lord [11]. This liberation from the dominion of sin is a direct result of God's sovereign grace.
Reconciliation is another key aspect of this turning. It signifies a change from enmity to friendship, a mutual transformation between God and humanity [7]. In the sinner, this involves ceasing to be an enemy to God through wicked works and yielding full confidence and love to Him [7]. The apostle Paul implores believers to "be reconciled to God," urging them to lay aside their enmity [7]. This reconciliation is not a change in God's disposition but a change in humanity's disposition towards God, enabled by His grace [7].
The Christian life, therefore, is a continuous journey of living out this initial turning, presenting oneself to God as an instrument of righteousness, and allowing God's sovereign grace to reign in one's life [4, 1].
Sources
- Romans “that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. -- Romans 5:21”
- Acts “to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ -- Acts 26:18”
- Romans “For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. -- Romans 5:17”
- Romans “Neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. -- Romans 6:13”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Forgiveness of sin — One of the constituent parts of justification. In pardoning sin, God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, and that on account of the work of Christ, i.e., he removes the guilt of sin, or the sinner's actual liability to eternal wrath on account of it. All sins are forgiven freely (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 1 John 1:6-9). The sinner is by this act of grace for ever freed from the guilt and penalty of his sins. This is the peculiar prerogative of God (Ps. 130:4; Mark 2:5). It is offered to all in the gospel. (See [219]JUSTIFICATION.)”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Grace — God is the God of all -- 1Pe 5:10. God is the Giver of -- Ps 84:11; Jas 1:17. God's throne, the throne of -- Heb 4:16. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of -- Zec 12:10; Heb 10:29. Was upon Christ -- Lu 2:40; Joh 3:24. Christ spoke with -- Ps 45:2; Lu 4:22. Christ was full of -- Joh 1:14. Came by Christ -- Joh 1:17; Ro 5:15. Given by Christ -- 1Co 1:4. Foretold by the prophets -- 1Pe 1:10. Riches of, exhibited in God's kindness through Christ -- Eph 2:7. Glory of, exhibited in our acceptance in Christ -- Eph 1:6. Is described as Great. -- Ac 4:33. Sovereign. -- R”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Reconcilation — A change from enmity to friendship. It is mutual, i.e., it is a change wrought in both parties who have been at enmity. (1.) In Col. 1:21, 22, the word there used refers to a change wrought in the personal character of the sinner who ceases to be an enemy to God by wicked works, and yields up to him his full confidence and love. In 2 Cor. 5:20 the apostle beseeches the Corinthians to be "reconciled to God", i.e., to lay aside their enmity. (2.) Rom. 5:10 refers not to any change in our disposition toward God, but to God himself, as the party reconcile”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sanctification — Involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man (Rom. 6:13; 2 Cor. 4:6; Col. 3:10; 1 John 4:7; 1 Cor. 6:19). It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work (1 Cor. 6:1”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Conversion — The turning of a sinner to God (Acts 15:3). In a general sense the heathen are said to be "converted" when they abandon heathenism and embrace the Christian faith; and in a more special sense men are converted when, by the influence of divine grace in their souls, their whole life is changed, old things pass away, and all things become new (Acts 26:18). Thus we speak of the conversion of the Philippian jailer (16:19-34), of Paul (9:1-22), of the Ethiopian treasurer (8:26-40), of Cornelius (10), of Lydia (16:13-15), and others. (See [125]REGENERATION.)”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 5:21: That as sin--Observe, the word "offense" is no more used, as that had been sufficiently illustrated; but--what better befitted this comprehensive summation of the whole matter--the great general term sin. hath reigned unto death--rather, "in death," triumphing and (as it were) revelling in that complete destruction of its victims. even so might grace reign--In Rom 5:14, Rom 5:17 we had the reign of death over the guilty and condemned in Adam; here it is the reign of the mighty causes of these--of SIN which clothes Death a Sovereign with venomous po”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 6:14: For Sin shall not have dominion over you--as the slaves of a tyrant lord. for ye are not under the law, but under grace--The force of this glorious assurance can only be felt by observing the grounds on which it rests. To be "under the law" is, first, to be under its claim to entire obedience; and so, next under its curse for the breach of these. And as all power to obey can reach the sinner only through Grace, of which the law knows nothing, it follows that to be "under the law" is, finally, to be shut up under an inability to keep it, and consequen”