liberty

max lucado said it like this - “God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus."

paul wrote - “well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? of course not! since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?" (romans 6:1-2 nlt)

Jesus said this about the subject - "now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you" (john 5:14 nlt)

and Jesus told a woman He rescued from a mob wanting to stone her - "I do not condemn you, either. go. from now on sin no more" (john 8:11 nasb)

there is a lie being spread by some possibly well-meaning but misguided christians concerning the word liberty - the dictionary is also a little misleading - "the power to do as one pleases" - now who has ever had absolute liberty? no one - no ever gets to do as they please - not totally - maybe within limits - or for a short time - ask hitler - ask the ceo sitting in prison - ask Jesus - think He always got His way? - then you need to read matthew 13:58

listen - liberty in God isn't license - asking God’s forgiveness of sin does not give us liberty to live as we want - and not pay the penalty - God doesn’t want to just hang out for now and promise you heaven after this life - He really hates - He detests - He abhors what sin has done to your past - and He equally detests what He knows any additional sin will do to your future!

all the above was said or written because God cares about you - He cares about your family - if you're not married He still cares about your future family - He knows what huge problems can grow from today's "little" sins - that's why He sets the bar high - "...sin no more"

 
again paul wrote - “don't be misled--you cannot mock the justice of God. you will always harvest what you plant. those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. but those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit." (galatians 6:7-8 nlt)