The Upward Grace Spiral – Romans 5:15-18
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! 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. For…
Sin’s Insidious Nature – Romans 5:12-14
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— for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when their is no law. 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…
A Chain Reaction of Blessings – Romans 5:9-11
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. A chain…
Timing the Perfect Rescue Mission – Romans 5:6-8
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Timing. Bottomed Out. Ultimate Sacrifice. Unparalleled Love.I think about the above concepts and realize that all of them were important in this…
The Eternally Consistent Mailman – Romans 5:5
Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. When I was a young boy, my older brothers (8 & 10 years older) used to wrestle with me, sit on me, throw the football at Mach 2 right at the pit of my stomach, and various other big brother tactics to reinforce to me that they were bigger…
A Battle-Hardened Character – Romans 5:3-4
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.When I think about the military leaders and heroes of infamy-men like George Washington, General Patton, William Wallace in Ireland, etc., they all inspired the men underneath them to face UNCERTAIN ODDS WITH UNCOMMON VALOR. How did they do this? It was because their lives were defined by righteous sacrifice. They had sacrificed so much and…
Hope Multiplied – Romans 5:1-2
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Made Righteous — Justified. Pursued and given the opportunity to be faithful again — by faith in Jesus Christ. Access to a relationship with God, through Jesus’ death on the cross. God’s…
Immovable, Unshakable Faith Beyond All Hope – Romans 4:18-25
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and…
The Promise that Leads to Adventure – Romans 4:13-17
It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received THE PROMISE that he would be heir of the world, but THROUGH the RIGHTEOUSNESS that comes BY FAITH. For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and…