House Money

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?  Or do you not know that as many of us were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurection.  Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  For he who has died has been freed from sin.
Romans 6: 1-7 NKJV

There is a saying among those who dabble in the world of gambling or perhaps even playing the stock market.  To be playing with "House money" is to have won enough of the houses money that even if you lose big you will still break even.  Of course, there are those who would quit while they were ahead as well.  Smart, very smart.  However, once I got thinking about this idea, I realized that there are those who play with house money in regards to our Lords grace and forgiveness as well.  Now, it's no secret that God loved us enough that while we were yet sinners that He sent His Son to become sin for us that we might be saved from ourselves {Romans 5:8}.  Unfortunately, there are those of the faith who seemingly take the grace of our Lord for granted.  For realizing that they indeed are saved by Gods grace from their sins, they continue to remain in their sinful ways.  I mean, the forgiveness of Christ Jesus wouuld ultimately forgive them, right?  Well, let's ask the apostle Paul that very same question shall we.  For in Romans 6 Paul dwells into this very same question.  As he questions if we should indeed continue in our sin knowing that the grace of Christ Jesus will abound unto us comes his answer.  Certainly not!  Why?  Well, how can one who has died to sin continue to live their life in it?

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2: 1-9 NKJV

It may seem ok for some people who yet do not know the truth of Christ Jesus.  The very truth of Christ in us {Galations 2:20}.  To understand the truth of Christ is to undersand what it is He did for us.  Indeed, each of us was born into that sin which we carried as a result of the fall.  Were it not for Jesus, this is exactly where we would remain today.  But for the love and grace of God, we would continue to live as our old man, in the sins we once carried.  Not only did Jesus give Himself on our behalf in order that our sins would be cleansed, but it is through His death that our sin nature was also crucifed with Him.  Therefore, that old part of us has been put to death with Christ and no longer exists.  This is the truth of Christ Jesus.  However, there are those who continue to wallow in what once was.  Like the gambler playing with house money, they trust there is indeed enough of our Lords grace to cover their continued sin.  Whether they trust in the free gift that Christ has given to all or not, they nevertheless continue to live in what once was.

~Scott~