To Be Sure NOT!

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2)

The unusual statement which serves as the title for this devotional, beloved, is a well-known and oft-used declaration in the South. Whenever someone says something that is unbelievable or in any way incredulous, the listener will often respond with "To be sure not!" It's a southern way of saying "Surely that can't be true!" It may even be a common term in other parts of the country, but I know that at least it is quite common here in the South.

What may surprise those of us who have ever used this term is that the Apostle Paul had his own version of it in the first century. The Greek term me ginoito has been translated in a number of different ways depending upon the English translation which you are using. From the King James Version's "God forbid!" to the Recovery Version's "Absolutely not!" the range of translations presents a startling contrast. In the original language of the New Testament, however, the term me ginoito leaves little room for doubt as to what the apostle meant by his choice of words. The literal translation of the term is "not be" or "not become" in the sense of someone declaring "May that never happen!" To elaborate a bit upon the King James rendering, Paul could be said to have been thinking "God forbid that you should ever think such a thing!"

And what was it concerning which the apostle felt so strongly, his "to be sure not," if you will? Some to whom he wrote were suggesting that, because God's grace is sufficient to forgive us and cleanse us from all sin, why not just live more indulgently in sin so that God's grace might flow even more abundantly? And today, though we never hear any professing Christian say such a thing, still lifestyles indicate that we may at least be thinking it!

The very thought that because we are recipients of God's grace in Jesus Christ we do not have to worry about the standard of our living is absolutely contrary to the Bible's call to personal holiness in our Christian walk, beloved. No wonder that Paul's response to them was a hearty me ginoito! From the purest of thoughts to the purest of deeds, our lives are to ever become a pursuit of godliness in full view of a watching and wondering world lost in sin. We must show everyone what Jesus has done for us so that they will come to see what He can do for them. Only then will we have "earned" the right to share with them the good news of Calvary.

What do you say, beloved? Are we going to miss opportunities to reach others for Christ simply because our personal lifestyles don't line up?

Me ginoito!

Ron