For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 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. Rom. 5:15-17
Dear heavenly Father, this Lord’s Day morning, my heart is filled with praise for the hyper-abundance of grace which you’ve heaped on us in Jesus. This portion of the Word is a zip-file of gospelicious wonder.
By the 1st Adam’s failure, we were born spiritually dead—willing subjects, co-conspirators, members in good standing in the reign of sin and death. But through the Jesus—the 2nd Adam, we’ve been raised to new life, and live as objects of your affection and subjects in the reign of righteousness, peace, and joy—the reign of grace.
As dead as we were in our sins and trespasses, we’re much, much more alive in Jesus’ forgiveness and righteousness. As distant and disconnected as we were from you, we’re now much, much more at peace and intimate with you through Jesus’ perfect work. As narcissistic and navel-gazing as we were through our connection to the first Adam, we’re becoming much, much more other-centered, loving, and caring through our union with Christ.
You didn’t spare your own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will you not also, along with Jesus, graciously give us all things? You justified us, and there is now no condemnation—only full acceptance. Jesus died for us, and now perpetually lives to pray for us and advocate for us. Nothing will ever separate us from your love, Father (Rom. 8:31-35).
Indeed, as grave and great as our condition was through sin and death, the “how much more” of the gospel has trumped it a gazillion times over. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ glorious and grace-full name.
