Romans 5:12-21 Response

The two most significant men in history do battle in Romans 5:12-21.

Adam, the first human being has brought death into the world for all people. He rebelled against His loving and faithful King and then passed along his infected DNA to all of his children and great, great, great, great grandchildren namely you and me. Because of Adam, we all have an innate tendency and bent away from God and towards other things. The very way we interpret and process both ourselves and our surroundings is skewed in a way that is anti-God. This leads to living lives of autonomy and rebellion.

However, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to war against the effects of Adam’s sin. Sin and death and rebellion had increased and grown at an exponential rate around the world because of Adam’s one sin. Now, Jesus’ perfect life, death and resurrection have brought about righteousness for the many. Adam brought sin and death to all, but Jesus through his sacrifice and resurrection defeats sin and death and brings righteousness and life. One kills and another makes alive. What was lost for all in Adam, is now won for the many by Jesus.

This is a comfort beyond comfort for me. It has shown me – when I am so prone to downsize God’s mercy – how vast and free God’s grace really is. It means that – though I doubt, though I am impatient and often inappropriately angry, though I am proud and judgmental, though I am greedy and covetous, though I have been corrupted to my inner-most – the free gift of righteousness is greater than all of this. When I rebel against God in sin (i.e. do battle with Him) He still wins. Jesus Christ has not only conquered Adam’s sin, he’s conquered mine as well. The super-abounding nature of God’s grace frees me to be able to confess honestly – to deal with God openly, rather than trying to impress.

I often wonder why it is I am so prone to resist such an expansive view of grace? Why is it that I still struggle to be accepted freely? What sin or life habits or just general disposition of cynicism and doubt do I think will not be covered in an overflowing measure of mercy and grace?

The true understanding of all that God has done for us in Jesus led me to give my life to him at first over 10 years ago. By remembering and reflecting on his work on the cross continue to drive us to continue to give our lives to him.

~ Kevin Walker