Does Salvation by Grace Through Faith in Jesus Christ Grant a License to Sin?
Here's a commonly heard argument saying, "Well salvation by faith alone in Jesus Christ is unjust and grants a license to sin." which is frequently done by most world religions. They demand people must work for their salvation and for one, it's NOT even realistic or practical as it promotes the idea of a dictator God PLUS it's nothing more than asking for the impossible because God's standard of holiness is a LOT higher than all the good works man does. Despite all the good man does, still they will fall into sin and the followers of almost every false religion this world has to offer shows that like how your average religious person attends religious services yet he/she falls into sin for the rest of the week, showing he/she is WEAK in the flesh.
Now it's time to really correct the whole erroneous argument as false. Why? The Bible says otherwise about what God's salvation by grace through faith really does- it transforms the individual to resist sin only by God's grace lest anybody should boast.
Here are a few verses to deal with on what God's grace REALLY does:
Romans 4:5- "But to him that worketh not but believeth upon Him which justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
Ephesians 2:10- "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them"
Titus 2:11-14- "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works."
Again looking at God's transforming grace, it actually prevents man from going into sin at the same time, from boasting because it's only but God's grace that causes the man in Christ to do works in Christ. Works in Christ do not contribute to being saved, rather it is a PERMANENT result to being saved. It's always impossible for a man to get saved and not even do one good work in their Christian life. As said, eternal security is NOT a license to sin because God still deals with sin (Hebrews 12:5-6) even if He doesn't cast those who are His out (John 6:37). On the other hand, it's crazy how so many embrace works salvation but many of their proponents are criminals, homosexuals, pedophiles and whatever proving they cannot keep the heresies they teach.
Here are some words by Pastor Warren Wiersbe about this matter:
First century Judaizers are not the only ones afraid to depend on God's grace. Legalists in our churches today warn that we dare not teach people about the liberty we have in Christ lest it result to religious anarchy. These people misunderstand Paul's teachings about grace and it is to correct such misunderstanding that Paul wrote the final section of his Ephesian letter.
Paul turns now from argument to application from the doctrinal to the practical. The Christian who lives by faith is not going to become a rebel. Quite the contrary, he is going to experience the inner discipline of God that is far better than the outer discipline of man-made rules.
No man could become a rebel who depends on God's grace, yields to God's Spirit, lives for others and seeks to glorify God. The legalist is the one who eventually rebels, because he is living in bondage, depending on the flesh, living for self and seeking the praise of men and not the glory of God.