In June of last year, Bino posted a great blog that I keep going back to called "
Dismantle the confession booths." The post is simply a series of Bible verses that show how, among other truths, we have
already been forgiven. We don't keep getting forgiven over and over again, through confession of sins or through any other method or act. As I've previously stated, I've printed out all the verses (over two pages worth) and I'm using it to memorize many of the scriptures.
The scripture that I'm on right now is this one:
Rom 5:17-18
17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. 18 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. (NASB)
I don't like pulling scriptures out of their context (like many people do with, oh, say, let me try to think of an example, hmmm - oh yeah, 1 John 1:9!), especially the above passage with the rich verses and chapters that surround it. Romans is definitely an epistle in which Paul used a
lot of words at a time - many sentences and paragraphs - to form larger points. But yet if I keep the whole context in mind this is one of many smaller sections that are worth taking the time to memorize and meditate upon.
There is one word in particular that I want to focus on here. That one word is "one." It's such an important word when it comes to understanding the gospel! Why? Well, as the passage points out, the
bad news - the condition that all of mankind has been in (sin, death, judgment, condemnation) - was the result of the transgression of
one man, Adam. Sin and death entered the world through
one man, Adam (oh yeah, context - see
verse 12), and through this
one man's offense, judgment came to everyone, resulting in
condemnation. You never had to even commit
one single sin, and yet you were condemned from the start because of the transgression of Adam. It's not fair, is it?
Well,
the gospel isn't fair then, either! (Thank God!). The gospel - the good news - is also based upon what
one man did! Whereas sin, death, judgment and condemnation came through
one man's disobedience, the abundance of grace and the
gift of righteousness came through
one man's obedience. Paul uses the words "gift" or "free gift" six times in Romans 5 and 6. The gift of righteousness and eternal life came solely through the obedience of
one man, Jesus. You never had to even commit a single righteous act, and yet you've been given the
gift of righteousness because of the grace of God given through the
one man, Jesus!
Take some time and read through Romans 5 (not limiting yourself to that, of course) and see what it says about
you, all because of the act of
one man (having nothing to do with your own acts or lack thereof). Justified! Standing in grace! Saved from wrath! Reconciled! The grace of God abounding to you! Righteous! Reigning in life! Eternal Life!
