Has anybody ever accused you of giving people a license to sin? they accused Paul of that, they accuse us of it. Paul said their condemnation is just.
If folks don't accuse you of giving folks a license to sin could be you are preaching a different gospel to Paul.
Lets read the verse.
Romans 3:8
”And not
rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,)
Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.”
Notice that they slanderously say this against Paul and it does not mean it is true. This is obviously the Jews saying this who are trying to get Christians to be circumcised and to be saved and to follow the Old Law (i.e., the 613 laws of Moses). If you were to read Acts 15:1, Acts 15:5, Acts 15:24 it tells you about this.
Acts 15:1
”
And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.”
Acts 15:5
”But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command
them to keep the law of Moses.”
Acts 15:24
”Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying,
Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no
such commandment:”
So Gentile Christians were being told by the apostles that they do not have to keep the Laws of Moses, and neither are they to be circumcised to be saved. It was heresy to keep circumcision and the Laws of Moses to be saved. We see hints of this heresy in Paul’s writings.
Galatians 5:2
”
Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. “
Now, lets get back to Romans.
Romans 2:25-29 says,
24 ”For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
Romans 3:1 says,
”What advantage then hath the Jew? or
what profit is there of circumcision?”
Hebrews 7:12 says the Law has changed. So it’s not that Christians are not under any Law in regards to salvation.
Even 1 John 3:23 says,
“And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
Do you believe you have to keep the commandment or Law to believe on the name of Jesus Christ for salvation? I sure do.
So you are saved by keeping a particular Law. Law can save you, but it depends on which Law you are referring to. Obviously Paul was condemning in going back to the Old Law and this is what he was referring to about those Jews who were slandering them in doing evil. Paul was not about the idea that we could sin and be saved.
Romans 6:1-2
”
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? “
Now, let’s read 1 Timothy 5:8.
1 Timothy 5:8
”But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”
Now, pay attention to what this verse says. Slowly read it and understand what it is saying here.
Paul is saying that if any (any believer) provides not for their own (even their own house), they have denied the faith and they are worse than an infidel. An infidel is an unbeliever. Just check other translations, and it says this. So if you do not provide for your own, you can be worse than unbeliever. Meaning, this verse cannot be talking about fake believers because only a believer can be worse than an unbeliever. Unbelievers cannot be worse than other unbelievers. It would make no sense. So Paul here is teaching conditional salvation and he is saying that if you commit the sin of not providing for your own later on after you were saved, you can then be worse than an unbeliever. Unbelievers are not saved. So one will lose their salvation if they do not provide for their own. That is what this verse is plainly teaching here.