April 25, 2014 (Friday)
My pastor, Scott Jones, is leading our church in a Wednesday evening Bible Study on the New Testament Book of Romans. This week he presented the fifth chapter of that marvelous and definitive statement on justification by faith.
As we were studying together, I was impressed anew with one of the verses in that wonderful chapter: “..The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification” (Romans 5:16 NIV) . What a contrast this is.
The first couple in the human family (Adam and Eve) sinned and the entire human race received judgment for that (because the entire human race was composed of those two people). The verse above quoted from Romans 5:16 tells us that judgment fell because of that one sin (rebellion against God). In contrast, we have all followed suit and our sins are many, but God’s gift of salvation through faith in Christ brought forgiveness for all our sins.
One sin brought condemnation. One gift brought forgiveness. That’s the grace of God at work. As Paul puts it in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Grace is undeserved mercy. We cannot earn it. It’s God’s gift. We obey and serve the Lord because we are saved–not in order to be saved. That’s the way it is. That’s God’s way.
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Marvelous grace, Infinite grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!*
*Hymn, Grace Greater than Our Sin: Text, Julia H. Johnston, Music, Daniel B. Towner