Friday, February 24
| Romans 5:12-19 |
| 12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. 15But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 16And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 18Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. 19For just 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. |
| In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he compares Jesus with Adam, and grace with sin. When Adam bit the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, sin, suffering, and death became part of our human experience—it is universal among all of us, no matter what. Is it fair that all humans are susceptible to sin, suffering, and death because of Adam’s transgression? No. But through Jesus, those things do not have the final word over our lives. Through Jesus, love does. Because similarly, it is not fair that all humanity is likewise saved through the free gift of God’s grace. “Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all.” We didn’t ask for sin, yet we are prone to it. We don’t deserve grace, yet we receive it anyway. Thanks be to God for that! Prayer: Good and Gracious God, thank you for the free gift of your grace, which blesses us with new and eternal life, even though we live in a world of sin, suffering, and death. Hear our cries and our praises, that we would always know and share your unending love. In Jesus’ name. Amen. —Pastor Joe Orner |