Scripture:
Romans 5:12-21
Today we will continue looking at
Paul’s teaching on justification (just-as-if-I-have-never-sinned). Paul is contrasting our death “in Adam” with
our life “in CHRIST.” Adam’s sin
(Original Sin) brought separation from GOD and death to all the descendants of
Adam, which is all of us. JESUS death,
burial, and resurrection purchased our redemption which brought reconciliation
between GOD and all of us who are “in CHRIST.”
Redemption is not automatic for
everyone. It is reserved only for those
who believe the GOSPEL OF CHRIST and who receive the offer of grace from GOD
(v. 17).
The Law of GOD was given to
clearly show us the impossibility of our capacity to make ourselves justified
or righteous before a holy GOD (Galatians 3:10-29). Throughout this passage Paul contrasts the
work of Adam and CHRIST—between their deeds and the consequences of those
deeds.
Because of The Fall (Original
Sin) all of us have been born with a sin-nature. The part of us that connects us with GOD and
with our eternal existence—our spirit—died.
We are all descendants of our father Adam and we have inherited Adam’s “spiritual
DNA.”
But the good news of the GOSPEL
OF CHRIST is that our old sin-nature was crucified with JESUS and was buried
with JESUS (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6).
But we who are “in CHRIST” have been born again or born of the Spirit
(John 3). Therefore, we were also “in
CHRIST” when He was resurrected and our spirit was restored to life (Galatians
2:20; Romans 6). Because of this
redemptive work of JESUS, those of us who believe in Him are no longer
descendants of Adam but we are now descendants of JESUS and we have inherited
JESUS’ “spiritual DNA” (Romans 6).
The true measure that shows we
have inherited the “spiritual DNA” of JESUS in seen in the fruit we bear
(Galatians 5:16-26). This is not the
same as works or behavior. Spiritual
fruit is “vine life” and “branch life (John 15:1-17). It is not the duty of the branch to try its
hardest to produce fruit. Branches simply
abide in the vine, and the fruit-bearing takes place as a normal process.
This is the work of HOLY SPIRIT “life-ing”
out the life of JESUS within us and through us.
It is not our work. Our work is
to abide . . . to rest . . . in the completed redemptive work of JESUS. This is the story of Easter!
JESUS is Risen . . . !
Richard Holloman
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