We live during a time when many people do not want to hear about God at all, and if they do, there sometimes is a misunderstanding or a deliberate pushback from the concept of repentance. But why is that? The problem, according to Pastor Greg Locke, is the infiltration of the hyper-grace theology into the American church.
“People are comfortable stumbling in the dark; that’s what they want,” Locke says. “It’s like this self-imposing situation where you get so used to it; you just enjoy it—self-pity, self-infliction and then I start turning the lights on, you’re like, ‘how dare you tell me that’s wrong?'”
Locke says that it’s not the job of the pastor to let people fumble around in darkness. Instead, it’s the job of the pastor to help bring people to the light, toward the truth. Locke says that allowing people to move in the spirit of lasciviousness keeps people trapped in the bondage they were already living in.
“Any preacher that lets you stay in the dark is no preacher,” Locke says. “You know what lasciviousness is? It’s using the grace of God as an opportunity to live in sin.”
Locke says “greasy grace” is what we need to look out for because it won’t lead to the heart of the Father—instead, it will lead to certain destruction.
“Greasy grace is going to let you slide into hell,” Locke says. “Lasciviousness is not what we should be involved in. It should be an abhorrent abomination to our hearts…there are people in the church that work all uncleanness with greediness.”
So, what is the difference between those who find themselves in hyper-grace theology and those who don’t? Locke says that a real Christian will not stay in a lifestyle of sin.
“A Christian won’t stay drunk. Can a Christian get into immorality, yes, but they won’t live in immorality,” Locke says. “There’s a difference in getting into something and living in something. When you continue like a dog to return to your vomit or like a pig that wallows in the mud, it’s the nature that’s never been changed…if your nature’s not changed, you will use the grace of God as an occasion to live in uncleanness.”
The reality is, true faith requires repentance. If we want to actually be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit, we must wholeheartedly repent and turn from sin. We must remember how Scripture tells us that repentance is necessary because the kingdom of God is at hand. In order to know Jesus as Lord, it requires sacrificing every single worldly desire that we have and laying it down at the foot of the cross. Then, and only then, can we truly walk in freedom of knowing who He is by allowing Him to take the reins on our lives.
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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.
Stephen Strang