5.1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 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. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Paul jumps over the obstacle of our sinful nature, asserting that not only do we have an object for our faith that connects us with God, but we are already operating in a relationship with God through the demonstration of His love. Tribulation only enhances the reality of what we have because it brings out what is at the core of our interests.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 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! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Our trust is in a God who has demonstrated that He can overlook every crime and every sin, including every insult we may throw in His face. If we want justification, it is available when we drop our pride and take Him up on His offer of Christ's grace.
12 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—
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 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 is a pattern of the one to come.
Adam was given a specific command, or law--not to partake of the Tree of Knowledge. It included good knowledge, and that was not bad. But in taking of a Tree he was told *not* to partake of he was simultaneously indulging in evil knowledge--the knowledge of disobedience and self-autonomy, an essential rebellion against God's lordship over him.
Moses' Law extended to the nation Israel God's rights of lordship over Man. And it confirmed what had been proven in Eden, that Man had dislocated his relationship with God, rebelling against His Word. The Law given to Adam and the Law given to Israel both demonstrated that Man had become a sinner and would spread sin to others as well as cause us all to die. Human works could only produce failure and death, no matter how much good it could do.
But packed within the Law of Moses were the rituals of atonement and redemption. Though human works could not produce through these rituals self-redemption, they did demonstrate an essential faith in what God would do through Christ. For all of the effects of sin in our lives, in the end the effects of sin would be completely undone at Christ's return.
15 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! 16 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. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Sin was a disease that spread in mankind. Rebellion was a spirit that influenced others and spread through human works, including reproduction. All men are therefore born in sin.
However, grace has nothing whatsoever to do with inheritance, with guilt passed on to others. It bypasses Man's liabilities altogether, causing the consequences of human works to be remedied by Christ.
Living in him provides for our redemption, no matter what consequences we face for our sins. Our works, though spreading to others and deserving of death, can be remedied by resort to the resurrection and life of Christ. We can experience his love now, as well as have assured to us a place in God's eternal Kingdom.
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We will reap what we sow. But we will also reap what Christ alone sowed--God's love and Eternal Life.
Amos 9.13 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman
and the planter by the one treading grapes.
New wine will drip from the mountains
and flow from all the hills,
14 and I will bring my people Israel back from exile.
Paul jumps over the obstacle of our sinful nature, asserting that not only do we have an object for our faith that connects us with God, but we are already operating in a relationship with God through the demonstration of His love. Tribulation only enhances the reality of what we have because it brings out what is at the core of our interests.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 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! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Our trust is in a God who has demonstrated that He can overlook every crime and every sin, including every insult we may throw in His face. If we want justification, it is available when we drop our pride and take Him up on His offer of Christ's grace.
12 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—
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 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 is a pattern of the one to come.
Adam was given a specific command, or law--not to partake of the Tree of Knowledge. It included good knowledge, and that was not bad. But in taking of a Tree he was told *not* to partake of he was simultaneously indulging in evil knowledge--the knowledge of disobedience and self-autonomy, an essential rebellion against God's lordship over him.
Moses' Law extended to the nation Israel God's rights of lordship over Man. And it confirmed what had been proven in Eden, that Man had dislocated his relationship with God, rebelling against His Word. The Law given to Adam and the Law given to Israel both demonstrated that Man had become a sinner and would spread sin to others as well as cause us all to die. Human works could only produce failure and death, no matter how much good it could do.
But packed within the Law of Moses were the rituals of atonement and redemption. Though human works could not produce through these rituals self-redemption, they did demonstrate an essential faith in what God would do through Christ. For all of the effects of sin in our lives, in the end the effects of sin would be completely undone at Christ's return.
15 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! 16 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. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Sin was a disease that spread in mankind. Rebellion was a spirit that influenced others and spread through human works, including reproduction. All men are therefore born in sin.
However, grace has nothing whatsoever to do with inheritance, with guilt passed on to others. It bypasses Man's liabilities altogether, causing the consequences of human works to be remedied by Christ.
Living in him provides for our redemption, no matter what consequences we face for our sins. Our works, though spreading to others and deserving of death, can be remedied by resort to the resurrection and life of Christ. We can experience his love now, as well as have assured to us a place in God's eternal Kingdom.
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We will reap what we sow. But we will also reap what Christ alone sowed--God's love and Eternal Life.
Amos 9.13 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman
and the planter by the one treading grapes.
New wine will drip from the mountains
and flow from all the hills,
14 and I will bring my people Israel back from exile.
