THE GIFT OF LIFE
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Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for your obedience to God your Father and for giving your life for me. Thank you for your grace, which abounds in my life each day.
Read ROMANS 5:12—21
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Romans
Romans 5
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.
Reflect
‘God has given us two hands—one to receive and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.’1
We watch our world, we watch the local news… we see our own failings. There’s no doubt, human beings are sinful. Paul’s careful writing helps us to understand how and why there is hope. He begins with the individual and elaborates on it for all. Through Adam, the one man, sin and death came into the world. Since Adam, sinfulness has been deeply ingrained in human nature. The law of Moses taught people of their sinfulness, but it did not rescue them from the death brought by Adam’s disobedience (v. 12).
In glorious, triumphant contrast, Paul then turns our eyes to another man—Christ! Through his obedience to his Father, his righteousness is imputed to us all. ‘… as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people’ (v. 18). This gift of God is greater than the ‘trespass’—no matter what you have done or thought! His grace overflows to many (v. 15). God’s work of salvation and resolution of our sinfulness is complete. Through Christ, we have been reconciled to God.
Paul is speaking here to Jewish and gentile believers, but God’s gift of life is available to all people who receive his gift of righteousness (v. 17). This is not an anything-goes solution to people’s sinfulness. All need to receive God’s grace, expressed in Jesus Christ (v. 17). Death has been the result of human sinfulness brought by Adam. Eternal life is the result of the righteousness and the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. God’s grace reigns (v. 21)—and we have this good news to share with others who have not yet heard or understood.
Apply
Who are those you know who have not heard the gospel? How might you tell them?
Closing prayer
I praise you, Father, for the gift of eternal life, given despite my sinfulness. Please help me share it with those who haven’t yet understood the good news of Christ.
1 Billy Graham, American evangelist.
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