September 25, 2024

Romans 5:12-21 (HCSB)
Death through Adam and Life through Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned. 13 In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression. He is a prototype of the Coming One. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift overflowed to the many by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification. 17 Since by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.18 So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life-giving justification for everyone. 19 For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Katlyn Hardin
Considering the verses from yesterday, this next section of scripture truly continues to reveal the awesome power of God and the mysteries of His character. It is easy to read these verses and want to rush through them because they can be hard to follow as Paul explains the point made in v. 18-19, “Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people” (ESV). I want to encourage you to sit in this passage and ponder on what a great mystery this is. Try even rereading it aloud, listening to the words. Paul is taking us through the entirety of scripture in these verses. Sin resulting in death started in the garden (v. 12-14, Genesis 3, Hosea 6:7), the law came through Moses (v. 20), the prophets spoke of the coming True and Better Adam (v. 14, Isaiah 53), Christ laid aside His glory to walk on Earth in perfect obedience to pay for our trespasses (v. 17,19), rising from the dead He defeated sin and death so that the grace of God through Jesus Christ would overflow to us (v. 15). Thus, enabling those who were sinners by nature and chose to be made righteous (v. 21, Revelation 5:9-10). What else can be said except “Praise be to God” and “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain”? Brothers and sisters, take hold of the fact that in Christ is an overflowing and abundant life where we can declare “there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Since we have received such grace, my prayer is that we are found to be a people pouring out that same grace upon those around us, sharing the same gift of the gospel that we received to everyone we encounter, in word and deed.