God’s restraining grace is something we often take for granted. It’s even present to some degree in the lives of unbelievers. The Puritans called it common grace. It’s seen in the work of the conscience and in society’s acceptance of certain basics of right and wrong. But is it possible to lose God’s restraining grace?
There is no sin in our lives that is too big or for which God won’t forgive us if we are truly repentant. But knowing that doesn’t mean we can sin with impunity like children with our fingers crossed behind our backs. The person who thinks he or she can do whatever and ask for forgiveness later is in rebellion against God.
One of the consequences of willful sin can be the removal of God’s restraining grace where He steps back and allows us to do what our sinful heart desires. Without that restraining grace, we find that the sin we thought we could control is now controlling us. As someone once said, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”
God allows us to make our own choices, but we should not think we can disobey Him and somehow be in control of where it ends. Today’s reading in Deuteronomy gives us a stark picture of total depravity and where the downward spiral of sin can lead, including things that could be taken right out of today’s headlines.
As someone said and has been quoted many times:
“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay!”
Could you be on a path that could start the slide into that downward spiral?
Have you ever looked around at the lives of others and thought that life just isn’t fair? Maybe because you’ve been treated unfairly in the workplace, in your family, or maybe it seems even by God? What should we remember when we’re tempted with thoughts of “It’s not fair!”?
We’ll also look at how one of the psalmists prayed when he felt like life wasn’t going his way and how pride blinds us to the seriousness and the consequences of our sin.
And finally, we’ll talk about how people today have decided they can make the rules. They can decide what’s right and wrong, what marriage is, when life begins, and what lives are worth protecting. And much of what we see around us are the consequences of that kind of foolish thinking.
Frogs … they’re everywhere! … in their homes, in their beds, in their bowls, in their ovens—everywhere! Yet, when Moses, God’s messenger, comes to Pharaoh and asks when he’d like them removed, he says, “Tomorrow.” Almost as if he were saying, “Just let me spend one more night with those frogs.” How about you? Are there any frogs you’re keeping around for another sleepover?
