Life Through Christ
Opening Prayer
Father God, turn my eyes upon Jesus as I come to Your Word.
Read Romans 5:12–21
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What traits have you inherited from your parents? Perhaps there are some you’d rather not have!Here, Paul takes us back before Abraham, to the first man, Adam. This is where the tragedy of our disobedience to God began. Sin was part of human nature long before the law was given to Moses (12,13). Judgment, separation from God and death for all humankind, was the outcome. Take a moment to become aware of how traces of Adam’s self-interested disobedience to God show themselves in your life.
But, God had a plan. He gifts us with his grace, righteousness and life through another man, Jesus Christ (17)! This gift of life in Jesus is on another scale altogether from the disaster brought by Adam’s sin (15). Christ the man lived in perfect obedience to his Father. As believers, our “genetic” make-up has been transformed. God’s abundant provision of grace through Christ has made us right with
God (18). While here on earth we are a work in progress being made more and more like Jesus, eternal life with him is a certainty (21). Take some time to reflect on the abundance of God’s provision for you in Jesus (17).
Apply
Is there an area of your spiritual “DNA” that you have not yet allowed God to transform? Surrender to his hand at work in your life.
Closing prayer
“All fear can flee for death’s dark night is overcome / My Savior lives and reigns forevermore” (Kristyn Getty).
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