Romans 5:18-21  To save the world, believers must live as Jesus lived and exercise divine authority to forgive sins.

Romans 5:18-21  To save the world, believers must live as Jesus lived and exercise divine authority to forgive sins.

So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Background

Jesus’s sacrifice broke the power of sin and death over humanity. His life of righteousness has made it possible for all men to be perfect as God is perfect. As Jesus forgave sins, He also gave authority to believers to forgive sins. As Jesus lived a righteous life, He gave His Spirit to believers so that we may live like Him. The Law is given to reveal the hidden darkness within. When believers turn to God, His grace exonerates us and sanctifies our attitudes and motives. Jesus saved the world by forgiving sins and by exemplifying the truth. Therefore, all believers must be discipled by ministers of God, so that all may do what Jesus did. Today’s devotion teaches us: To save the world, believers must live as Jesus lived and to exercise divine authority to forgive sins.

Observation

So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

Through one transgression committed by Adam, there resulted in condemnation to all men. To be condemned is to be relegated to the caste of sinners and slaves in a fate of inevitable death. Here, sinners not only face inevitable death, their souls are imprisoned in hades awaiting judgment. For God had in the beginning set forth in the Law: “In the day that you eat of it, you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17b). However, God in His mercy have provided a way to annul what He had set forth. Through Jesus’s one act of righteousness, all men are given a way of escape from condemnation and death. What is that righteous act that acquitted humanity from death? Why is that act considered as righteous and effectual by God?

At the Father’s bidding, Jesus willingly surrendered Himself to evil men to be executed on the cross. In so doing, Jesus demonstrated perfect love towards the Father. At the same time, perfect love towards man by asking the Father to forgive the sins of His tormentors. Thus, Jesus’s sacrifice through the shedding of His blood fulfilled the legal requirement to exonerate all who believe (justification).

For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

The judicial exoneration of man’s sin alone is insufficient to accomplish God’s plan for humanity. Man’s inclinations towards sin and disobedience must be transformed towards righteousness (justification). Adam’s corrupt ego has caused his descendants to take after his nature (many were made sinners). As children observe the way their parents live, children invariably live like their parents.

Jesus stemmed the transmission of corrupt human ego through His righteous ego and obedience to God. Not only did Jesus exonerated the transgressions for all who believed, but He also gives them a righteous ego (the Christ within) towards godliness and perfection.

The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.

The law is a system of rules that stipulates what is appropriate behaviour and what is not. The purpose of the law is to protect the individual as well as the community from acts that lead to harm. Therefore, the law is responsible for creating order and peace within the society. Now, the law works in making acts of sin indictable and punishable. Hence, sins previously considered as inconsequential, is immediately indictable in the light of the law.

When the Law was given to Moses, what was previously considered as permissible in the Jewish community was suddenly forbidden attracting swift and severe punishments: The Law came in so that the transgression would increase. Even as a deluge of curses and punishments was released upon the sinner, grace abounded all the more exonerating the sinner from punishment… and much more.

So that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Law carries the power to indict the sinner subjecting Him to the punishment of death. In this way, sin ruled (reigned) over man subjecting him to the clutches of death: as sin reigned in death. However, grace over ruled (reigned) the just requirement of death due to sin and much more. Grace not only functions in exonerating the sinner from the punishment of death, it has a follow on action of raising the exonerated sinner to the status of sons and kings (righteousness). The effect of grace goes beyond exoneration, it is not just a reversal of death, it is much more; it imputes righteousness in the believer causing him to be adopted as a son of God and to reign over God’s creation. The word righteousness carries a kingly connotation. Grace causes the believer to obtain eternal life – a kingly existence that belongs to Jesus Christ.

Truth

To save the world, believers must live as Jesus lived and exercise divine authority to forgive sins.

Breaking the devil’s stranglehold

Jesus was frequently seen forgiving sins, teaching and exemplifying the truth. Jesus said in no uncertain terms that He came to forgive the sins of the world. To forgive (aphiemi in Greek) is to set free. To forgive sins is to free people from the devil’s dungeon of evil, spiritual poverty and sicknesses and from their own selfish ego. In Mark 2:10, Jesus demonstrated His power to forgive sins and by healing the paralytic. When Jesus died on the cross, He dealt the final blow that destroyed the devil’s kingdom. After Jesus resurrected, He filled the disciples with the Spirit and gave them divine power to forgive sins. He breathed on them and said,

“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.” – John 20:23

Therefore, believers must make it their goal to desire and acquire divine authority to break the devil’s stronghold over the world. Without breaking the devil’s stranglehold, the journey towards righteousness cannot begin.

Living the way Jesus lived.

Indeed, the way to the Father is to live in the manner that Jesus lived. It is not by acquiring theological knowledge, or by observing religious rituals, but by communing and walking with Jesus continually. When Thomas asked Jesus to show him the way to the Father’s house, Jesus replied that the way He lived is in itself the way,

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” – John 14:6.

“Through Me” is to commune and walk with Christ in obedience throughout life’s journey. In so doing, we begin to do the works of Jesus and even greater works than He did while on earth.

Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” – John 14:12.

The apostle Paul said we are created for a divine purpose: to walk as Jesus walked and to do good works as Jesus did,

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10

Therefore, we must make it our daily goal to commune with Jesus and manifest His life. Indeed, it is through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. When others see our obedience to God, they will know the way to the Father. Preaching is vain when people do not see Christ in the way we live.

A majority of today’s churches draw people who are prospecting for earthly things, and “cheap” salvation. They give false assurances of peace and blessing just as in the days of Jeremiah. Jeremiah rebuked the prophets and priests of his day,

Because from the least even to the greatest
Everyone is greedy for gain;
From the prophet even to the priest
Everyone practices deceit.
“They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially,
Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
But there is no peace. – Jeremiah 8:10-11

It is regrettable that few desire to live as Jesus lived, and even fewer possess the power to forgive sins. Many Christians are fixated on insuring their own salvation as opposed to acquiring the divine virtues and wisdom of Jesus. In the last days, majority are captivated by teachings that concern blessings and salvation as opposed to righteousness through intimate communion with Christ.

Law and grace work in tandem showing us the way of prosperity and empowering us towards it.

The Law is the road map to prosperity whereas grace empowers believers towards it. Therefore, it is extremely important that believers read the Word (the Law) through which they receive the instructions of God. The Law is the window to divine wisdom and revelations. Grace removes hidden wounds, weaknesses and imbues the believer with divine virtues of Christ. Hence, it can be said that the Law functions as the foundation of grace, without which there is no progress.

Many churchgoers are eager to lap up God’s promises of good will and blessings. But they did not possess the wisdom to navigate the complex maze of life and were too wounded to rise up to the occasion. The Law or the Word of God functions as the conduit of divine wisdom and courage to overcome the mountains of life.

Therefore, the reign of grace demands human discipline and participation to acquire it. The believer must discipline himself to read the Word and to obey God’s instructions on a daily basis. The discipline of grace depicts the partnership of God and man towards enduring prosperity.

To reign with Christ is to impact the world with truth and grace beginning with our family and community.

Some circles of teachings focus the reign of grace primarily on the believer’s repossession of riches. The apostle Paul said,

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9.

However, the focus of Paul’s teachings has always been on the believer’s kingly stature (righteousness) as opposed to material possessions. He was rich (kingly), yet for your sake He became poor (a slave). Christ discharges his kingly rule in restoring God’s kingdom values to humanity and cause them to live as sons of God. Many churchgoers see themselves reigning with Christ but with none of His vision of restoring kingdom values to their family and community. The reign of Christ involves ushering in the kingdom by impacting the world according to truth and grace. It is by loving people and by teaching them to live according to the truth that God’s kingdom is established. Jesus met the standard of perfection, and God appointed Him to the highest station in the universe. In the same way, God will appoint and anoint with divine authority, foresight, and perseverance those who share Christ’s vision.

Therefore, as believers, we must refrain from being swept along by the patterns of the world. But to calibrate our focus according to the pattern of Christ’s work and motivation. In doing so, God will anoint us with grace and appoint us to reign like Christ reign.

In order to reign with Christ, I must allow God full prerogative in what He wants for my future.

The reign of grace necessitates full prerogative to be given to God on a daily basis. Believers must allow God to reign over them by wholeheartedly yielding their lives to Him. Because God knows the future, He is able to place us at the right place and at the right time to reap the opportunities at hand.

David was elevated as the greatest king in Israel. God called David as a man after His own heart and named Jesus as the Son of David. The apostle Paul was called the greatest apostle because he allowed God’s calling in his life to run its full course. Moses was revered as the greatest man in Jewish history because he was faithful in shepherding an obstinate generation. These men though imperfect in many ways, chose the reign of grace over the reign of fleshly desire. They were rewarded because they allowed God full prerogative in what He wanted for their future.

However, many churchgoers, preoccupied with their own agenda missed out on God’s divine arrangements. They allowed their own desires and the desires of others to reign over them. They could not understand nor would they agree with God’s plans on a daily basis. What began for them an occasional neglect for the Word became a full blown neglect of the Sabbath worship and tithing. Before long, it becomes almost impossible for them to distinguish God’s voice from the hum of daily cares and anxieties.

Application

How aligned is your life to the life of Christ? Ask God to reveal this to you. Many are pursuing theology, ministry work and blessings. They have no idea if their heart or their feet is aligned with God.

Does your life of righteousness convict people? Or are they inspired by your religiosity, blessedness, abilities, or your knowledge? 

Are you being discipled by a man of God? Or do you think you need no one to account to? Unless you are discipled, you will not grow in righteousness or in divine authority.

How then should we appraise ourselves? By the following:

• By the Law of the ten commandments
• By the Law of love: to love God supremely and to love our neighbour sacrificially. 
• By the standard in which Jesus lived out his virtues, wisdom and authority. Jesus said to all that He met, “Follow me.”
• By the works God has commanded us to do. God has told us love and serve the needy. And Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” – Matthew 25:40
• By the opportunities that God has given. The able and the rich are obligated to do more to help others. We will be judged by how we use the resources given to us. Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” – Luke 12:48.

Dear Lord, reveal to me the state of my heart so that I may repent to walk with you. Open my eyes and mind to see you more clearly and know you more deeply. Cause me to bear your likeness and your fragrance. Help me to make the best use of the resources you have given to accomplish your will. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.