¹⁷ For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.¹⁸ Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. ¹⁹ For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. ²⁰ Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, ²¹ so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:17-21

So how did this all happen? Adam. Death reigned through that one man, Adam.

Adam became a doorway through which sin was ushered into the world but through Jesus, we who receive the free gift of His abundant grace, we receive the righteous reign of life. The Bible says it comes in a “so much more” way. When we receive this grace comes in as a “greater-greater” grace.

His grace is greater!

Sometimes it is hard to express the overwhelmingly great way that God has provided for us through His Son Jesus Christ but the basics are that Adam sinned and condemnation came to all and Jesus acted in righteousness and it lead to justification and life for all.

What the law did was multiply and amplify just how bad sin was for us but as much as sin multiplied and screamed our guiltiness, grace multiplied even more and this grace results in eternal life through Jesus. The gospel is so simple. Jesus did everything for us.

Thanks for Listening,

Starla

(Addition and Edit: My former Pastor and His wife came to town and I was able to sit down and spend a little time with them. He asked me a question about this Romans study that I am doing. He said, “So, you’ve been doing that Romans study what have you learned?” After thinking for a minute, I said, “I’ve learned that Paul desires that the Christian know what the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has done for them. If we don’t know we are missing so much that ought to be ours by faith. )

Going to take a little break and get ready for Lent – Lent is the time period leading up to Easter! After Easter, we will pick back up in the second half of Romans 5.