Romans 5:12-14 The greatest gift parents can give to their children is a righteous legacy
Romans 5:12-14 The greatest gift parents can give to their children is a righteous legacy
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned — 13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Background
Adam was born a son of God, but he was relegated to the caste of sinners awaiting destruction. Subsequently, his descendants without exception were born into the caste of sin and death. Parents leave behind a legacy that will profoundly impact their descendants. It is through the parents’ values system and lifestyle that a legacy is built. Because our children’s future depends on us, the greatest gift we can give to them is a righteous legacy.
Observation
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned
Is it fair that death came into the world because of the sin (ego) of one man? It is universal that children inherit the legacy of their fathers. In some cultures, the legacy of the forefathers is transmitted through a caste system where children are locked in at birth. And under ordinary circumstances, no one can transcend or escape this caste order. Paul spoke of a spiritual caste system where the descendants of Adam were born into the caste of sin and death. For from the very beginning,
The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” – Genesis 2:16-17
Therefore, all are considered sinners primarily because all are descendants of Adam the sinner; the one with a corrupt human ego. Whether a man has sinned or not is secondary. As descendants of Adam, all inherited the corrupt human ego; the curse of sin and death while bearing its culture and characteristics. As a result, sin and death spread exponentially through procreation. Ironically, God’s command to multiply and be fruitful (see Genesis 1:28) resulted in the multiplication of death through the human race.
13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Before the Law was given to Moses, sin and its consequence were yet defined. In the absence of the Law, sin was unindictable under the human court (sin is not imputed when there is no law). Nevertheless, sin and death reigned from Adam to Moses by way of procreation. Before Christ conquered death through His resurrection, all who are in Christ were considered dead (see 1 Corinthians 15:17-18). Hence, without exceptions, death reigned even over those who love God, who earnestly followed His ways. Even Abraham, who was considered righteous by God, could not transcend his place in the caste of sin and death. Despite his faith and righteousness, he was still considered as a sinner because of his lineage. Unlike Adam, Abraham was made a sinner not by choice, but by birth (sinned in the likeness of the offence of Adam). Although Abraham was born into a caste of sinners, he lived like a son of God. In the case of Adam, he was born into a caste of the sons of God (who is a type of Him who was to come), but he chose the path of sinners. Indeed, it is by choice that Adam went from a caste of sons to a caste of slaves. Adam’s decision resulted in innumerable souls being born into the caste of sinners while they await eternal destruction.
Truth
The greatest gift parents can give to their children is a righteous legacy.
The Apostle Paul taught that the children of believing parent(s) are sanctified (see 1 Corinthians 7:14). What does it mean by “sanctified” or “made holy”? It means being set apart as belonging to God’s family. That said, it does not mean that they are guaranteed a place in God’s kingdom. Just like Adam, who was born a son of God, who chose the path of sin, our children must make their own decisions.
Indeed, a child who is born into a family of believers has access to divine gifts and revelations that are ordinarily inaccessible to non-believers. These divine gifts and revelations are made available through the righteous legacy of parents. A righteous legacy is transmitted through the way parents live:
– they exercise genuine love, generosity, honesty and fairness when dealing with people
– they are perpetually joyful and faithful to God and to each other
– they exercise divine guidance, wisdom and Godly reverence when making decisions
– they exercise faith and courage when facing challenges
– they exercise divine authority and spiritual gifts as a lifestyle
– they are passionate about God’s kingdom vision
When children observe their parents, they internalise and adopt their values and lifestyle. It is often misconstrued that children of bible-believing families automatically inherit a righteous legacy. But all too often, we see these children become more sceptical than children of non-Christian families. For they have observed in their parents a jarring dissonance between what they profess to believe and how they actually live.
That said, believers are called to build a righteous legacy for the next generation. Jesus did not have children of His own, but He fathered countless spiritual children after His legacy.
God is our hope in the face of injustice and corruption.
The fact that death reigned over humanity before the Law was given shows that God is the righteous and ultimate Judge. Even after the Law and the courts were established, God continues to exercise sovereign rule over them. But as we know it, the innocent were often oppressed and unjustly treated by corrupt judges. King Solomon said,
Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. – Ecclesiastes 3:16-17
However, the bible promises that God will eventually punish the corrupt judges and restore justice to all. The psalmist said,
Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—
leaders whose decrees permit injustice?
They gang up against the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.
But the Lord is my fortress;
my God is the mighty rock where I hide.
God will turn the sins of evil people back on them.
He will destroy them for their sins.
The Lord our God will destroy them. – Psalm 94:20-23
Therefore, let us be patient while exercising divine wisdom and authority over our circumstances. We seek divine wisdom to deal with corrupt judges. We exercise divine authority by way of the angels to establish God’s justice on earth. Indeed, God is our hope in the face of injustice and corruption.
Application
Write down on paper a list of what you want to include in your legacy. List them down in order of importance. Pick an item from the top and be intentional to work it out for one month. In the next month, work on the next item. By beginning with yourself, you build a legacy and your family will eventually catch on.
Dear Lord, you have established your righteous legacy for me to follow. Help me perpetuate your legacy of love, wisdom and faith. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.
Are you facing unjust treatment from corrupt people? Remember that God is the ultimate Judge who will bring about justice promptly. The parable of the persistent widow teaches us to pray and never give up (Luke 18:1-8). How do we pray? We ask for God’s wisdom to know how to navigate the complexities of the system. By Jesus’s authority, we send out the angels to restore justice promptly.
Dear Lord, I praise you for you are the God of justice. I send out the angels in your name to thwart all injustices meted out against my family and me. I speak restoration in the areas that I have suffered injustice. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.