Hinge Verse: Romans 6:23
Yesterday, (Day 26) we covered most of the back story that brought Paul to the task of writing to the Roman churches. He has spent 5 chapters explaining the gospel--faith, righteousness, guilt, idolatry, depravity, judgment, law, circumcision, boasting, reconciliation. He taught them that Death came through Adam's sin (before we blame Adam, we would've done the same. We prove it every day.) and was passed on to each of us. We are not being blamed for Adam's sin, but we are born broken.
Even without the law, sin reigned over humanity. The law was a check-engine light, a standard to point out the sin that so easily trips us up. It also reveals our inability to reach that standard. The sinful nature has been passed from generation to generation, Adam to now. Sin has a final paycheck--death.
Our verse today says it plainly--
"The wages of sin is death..."
Paul continues to make a case for the consequences of sin:
1. By the overstep of one man many died.
2. By one man's transgression came judgment, resulting in condemnation.
3. By one man's sin death reigned
4. Through one sin condemnation came to all men.
5. Through one act of disobedience the many were made sinners.
6. The law came along to multiply the trespass, exposing the depths of our depraved hearts.
7. Sin reigned in death.
To sum it up, sin is king over a world that produces death. Sin brings death now--in our minds, in our hearts, in our relationships, in our communities, in our world. No one sins in a vacuum, the effects are far reaching. And sin brings death forever--eternal separation from God.
BUT GOD....But His gift. All through out chapters 5 and 6, Paul compares and contrasts the transgression to the gift. BUT the gift is NOT LIKE the trespass... (I'm going to number corresponding contrast from the list above.)
1. How much more have the grace of God and the free gift which comes through the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflowed to the many!
2. The gift following many trespasses brought our approval!
3. How much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life!
4. One act of righteousness offers life to everyone!
5. Through one act of obedience, the many will be made righteous!
6. Where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more!
7. Grace reigns in righteousness!
The first list is our inheritance from Adam. The second list is our inheritance in Christ. The first list is our default mode. The second list is a first step--salvation-- and a lifelong journey--sanctification.
"Salvation costs me nothing. Sanctification costs me everything." --Jen Wilkin
At first, accepting the free gift from Christ may seem like a free pass to sin. I mean, if multiplying sin leads to multiplying grace, then sign me up, right? No, that's not the way this works. Sin has been crowned king in death's domain. Jesus defeated death! And if we've accepted the free gift of salvation, we have been baptized into that same death. We can't accept the victory of resurrection if we skip the death. We put to death list one and are resurrected into list two! Death no longer rules over, we are no longer slaves to sin, thanks to Jesus's perfect sacrifice, once for all time. So why would we--cleansed, forgiven--turn back to the sin that enslaved us and caused us so much shame?
We have been set free from sin and enslaved to God. And with Him, there is no shame, there is no death, there is no condemnation, there is no judgment. He is steadfast, loyal, life-giving, patient, loving forever.
Moses offered a choice to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 30:
"This command that I give you today is certainly not too difficult or beyond your reach....See, today I have set before you life and propsperity, death and adversity...I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse..."
Paul offers the same choice to Gentiles--US!:
"For the wages of sin is death, BUT the gift of GOD is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!"
Choose Jesus. Choose Life.
{Side note--don't let it be lost on you that there are 7 points to each list--7 is a very important number to God!!}
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