“6 What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound?”
Which way are you leaning spiritually? Paul shifts to another question as chapter 6 opens. He does not want us to misunderstand his statement in Romans 5:20 that we pondered yesterday. Adam’s disobedience resulted in all people living outside the Garden of Eden but Abraham’s obedience had a ripple effect of multiplying grace beyond his personal impact. We compared it to George Bailey in “It Was a Wonderful Life” realizing that his work in the loan business impacted the course of history of a whole town. Paul does not want us to take sinning, disobedience, lightly because we know there is forgiveness. We call that “cheap grace.” It is kind of like leaning, expecting another to catch us when we fall. We do not have the right to sin more so God has more opportunity to forgive and show mercy. That is leaning away from God’s grace.
When we assume another will not be offended by our disregard for them, we have made a grave mistake. If I assume you will treat me to dinner because you are rich and I am poor, I have diminished your generosity and closed my heart to gratitude. No one wants to be an assumption. I have had long discussions with some of my children because they assume it is my job as “parent” to make their life work and specifically finance it.
We do not want to sin by diminishing another but the challenge is to call out the potential in another and invite them to live into their better selves. We want to help them lean on God. Faith leads us to lean into relationships with God and others rather than assume forgiveness and acceptance. It’s not easy. We call it a spiritual discipline, a spiritual muscle that we learn to use just like going to the gym.
So let us ponder how we are leaning on our relationship with God. Are leaning towards God and learning to trust or are we assuming God is there to make our life work? Perhaps there is another relationship with a person we need to evaluate how we are leaning. How do we “lean into” relationship rather than treat someone’s acceptance as an assumption? Enjoy this oldie-but-goodie hymn about leaning and perhaps let your body sway with the song! Blessings.
On the Way to Wonder 