God’s Hope for Your Heart from Romans 5
YOU ARE PART OF A NEW HUMANITY IN CHRIST
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. (Romans 5:18-19)
“Well, I’m only human.”
How often do we hear or say this phrase as an excuse for sin or foolishness? How often do we use it to explain why we won’t be able to achieve the goals and dreams God has given us?
The thing is, if you’re in Christ, this phrase no longer applies to you!
Here’s why. In Romans 5, Paul writes about justification for “all” and about “many” being made righteous through Christ. Yet, before and after these passages he makes it very clear that this righteousness is not given to everyone carte blanche, but rather is made available to those who receive it by faith in Jesus. So what’s the deal with the “all” language?
What Paul is doing is contrasting two groups of people, those who are “in Adam” and those who are “in Christ.” He is showing us that while every person who is physically born is a member of the family of Adam and thus inherits death, every person who is spiritually born again by faith in Jesus is now a member of the family of Christ and thus inherits life!
This means that if you are in Christ, the old struggles don’t have to apply to you anymore. You don’t have to resign yourself to failure and sin, but instead can live in victory all the time! Why can you have this hope and confidence? Because of this truth: you are part of a new humanity in Christ.
-Pastor Phillip
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