Week of 5/26-6/1: Living in Light - The King Declares Guilty People Righteous

Day Two: Romans 5:15-21 “But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died how much more have the grace of God and the gift overflowed to the many by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification. Since by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life-giving justification for everyone. For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Also read Romans 8:1-2 in your Bible.

ALL HUMANITY ultimately branches off from Adam’s family tree. This means we are all under the curse of sin that infiltrated the family tree through Adam. If we are going to be made right before God and have our guilt removed, we must be cut and grafted into an entirely new family tree.

Another analogy can be deployed here.Think of the role of the President of the United States. No matter where he is in the world, he represents the people of the United States. When he speaks, he speaks for the people. He is the figurehead of the country. In the same way, Adam is the figurehead of all humanity.

What Adam has done represents all those under him. In the United States, if the people want a new federal head to represent them to the world, they must vote for a new president when election time arrives. In the same way, if people are ever going to be declared guiltless before God, a new figurehead must stand to represent them.

God sent His Son, Jesus, to begin a new family tree and to serve as a new figurehead to all who put their faith in Him. Those who have accepted and embraced the gospel of Christ are no longer held hostage by the sin of Adam. Their old lives pass away, and they begin a new life under the headship and authority of Christ.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷Why is it important to understand that all humanity’s family tree begins with Adam?

▷▷Why is it important to understand that we are all represented by a single figurehead?

▷▷How do we become a part of the new family tree and live under the authority of the new figurehead of Christ?