Lesson 423

(Lesson 423)(10-12-12) Romans 5:7-21, "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

In this lesson Paul demonstrates how the entire human race is born in sin beginning with the fall of Adam. Through Adam's transgression, we were all, being his descendants, condemned by that same transgression and expelled from the presence of God, bound to experience the spiritual death. Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
However, God in His infinite grace and from the very beginning, saw fit to send His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die that spiritual death for those who would accept His sacrifice.

Those who have accepted the grace of God have been JUSTIFIED. We should pay close attention to what that means. The saved are justified, even though we continually live in sin, our sins are made as righteousness before God through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
There is no other requirement for achieving eternal life! All you have to do is believe that Jesus died that death for you and your sins too, will be justified, NOT just forgiven, but "JUSTIFIED".
Paul explains to us that through the sin of one evil man, (Adam) death came upon us all, and through the life of one perfect man, (Jesus) life returned for all who would only believe in Him.
God's punishment for any sin against Him is death, thank God Jesus has died that death for sinners like me.~