Look with me at the cross: there was a mock trial, false witnesses, an angry mob, the releasing of a guilty insurrectionist named Barabbas. Then evil people condemned God’s holy Son, nailed His hands and feet to a cross, and raised Him up for all the world to scoff at and mock. Sin was increasing dramatically.
But where sin increased grace increased all the more. Through all this sin God saved, rescued and set the world free. Through all this sin, God restored our broken fellowship with Himself. Through all this sin, God gives us eternal life when we believe. Where sin increased, grace increases all the more.
The incredible truth of the Bible is that there is more mercy in Jesus than there is sin in us so that we can never out-sin the mercy and grace of God.
You’ve habitually viewed pornography? God has mercy and grace for you.
You’ve committed adultery? God has mercy and grace for you.
You’ve involved yourself in other forms of impurity? God has mercy and grace for you.
As you look up at the cross just now, and you see sin increasing but grace increasing all the more, let it wash over you. The first foundational principle of freedom is to be continually Washing at the cross!
In Genesis 37-50 we read the story of Joseph: Joseph’s brothers were very jealous of him. When Joseph became a young man and was sent by his father to check on his brothers, they saw him coming and plotted to kill him. They ended up selling Joseph into slavery instead, receiving pieces of silver for him as payment.
Joseph was hauled off to Egypt. But while in captivity Joseph excelled in all that he did because the Lord was with him. Eventually, he became second-in-command and ruler of the land under Pharaoh.
When there was a famine in the land of Canaan, Joseph’s brothers were sent to Egypt to buy food. There they discovered that their brother, whom they had mistreated so badly and sold into slavery, was now the vice-regent of all Egypt. They were terrified of what he might do to them. Yet notice these words of Joseph:
Gen 45:3-5, 7 NIV Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. (4) Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! (5) And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. (7) God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Question 6: Where do we see from this passage that the brother’s sin was the very means of their grace? Please write your thoughts here:
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Eric writes, "What they devised to do so many years earlier was sinful. Based on jealousy and anger, they chose to abuse their brothers' trust, sell him off, and then continue in their deceitful course for decades. But then, God, as He tends to do, brings them to face their sin (because sin always has consequences), but does so with grace, mercy, and love. God works all things out according to grace, mercy, and love so that these brothers are convicted of their sin, but yet, at the same time, restored to a relationship with the one they betrayed which motivates the hearts of everyone involved to praise God for His provision. My God, this is the very Gospel of Jesus Christ! When I think God's love has an end or that we can exhaust His grace, no, He is long-suffering and brings the futility of our plans to glorify Himself. That's my God!"