A Matter of Life and Death

 DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

Rom 5:15-17

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 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the 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.

NIV

This is a matter of life or death. Adam who was supposed to bring us life failed and instead he brought us death. We have to believe God knew that would happen in advance because the word tells us in the revelation given to John that the Lamb of God was slain before the foundation of the earth. Some would use this verse to indicate election, that is God already picked who would be in the book of life and who would not, because, before the foundation of the earth, Jesus was slain, it was predetermined the grace of God would be foremost over his wrath. Those who use this to defend the doctrine of election believe even the Old Testament people were picked to be saved through grace. However, the point is that each man has a choice to make as it is left up to whosoever believes, such as Abraham believed, so his believing was credited to him as righteousness. However, Adam still caused death to reign on earth, and thus we have that relocation picture in our heads. The scene is a city of darkness and death, and we once had a home there. We lived in that darkness, blinded by our own passions. We had some awareness of this religious thing, but our blindness overshadowed us, and hatred filled our hearts, even toward anything remotely connected to some god who people talked about. Then without warning a bright light was shown upon us, and we were called to come into that light. We were able to find our way across a great chasm as we followed that light, over a bridge made from a wooden cross, into a city of light and life. We moved from death to life. The death that Adam brought was voided out by our faith in Jesus Christ who brought us abundant life. It was a gift that we did not warrant, but God’s grace is an abundant provision, and we received his life and his righteousness as it reigns in us. We can never go back to the darkness with death reigning in us, for his gift of life and righteousness are eternal. All men have a choice to make between death and life. We are so blessed to have the light reigning in our lives. We are exceedingly thankful for the light that brought us out of the darkness and transported us from death to life.