Read Romans 5:18-21
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For 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. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Reflect
· Through Christ I've found and will keep finding real life, real answers, real faith. Am I ready to stop stressing and start celebrating?
· Have I ever tried to blame someone else and not taken responsibility for my own sin?
· Do I choose to live by Adam ... or by Christ?
We may read these verses and feel frustrated and resentful of the fact that the sins of one couple--Adam and Eve--led to our downfall. "Not fair!" we're tempted to complain. "Why do I have to pay for their sins?" But read on. The beauty is that Jesus redeems us, every single one of us, whether we deserve it or not. That's grace, isn't it? An undeserved gift. The fact is, one sin may have condemned us all, but a single act of righteousness--Jesus' death on the cross--saves every one of us and redeems every single one of our sins. God forgives the fact that we sin over and over and over. God overlooks the fact we don't deserve such grace.
Meditate on the overwhelming gift of God's grace as you read these verses from The Message: "Sin didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that's the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life--a life that goes on and on and on, world without end." (Romans 5:20-21).
Pray
Lord, help me understand the wondrous and infinite gift You have given me through the grace of Your son Jesus Christ. Amen.