Grace rules!

It is true that through the sin of one man death began to rule because of that one man. But how much greater is the result of what was done by the one man, Jesus Christ! All who receive God’s abundant grace and are freely put right with him will rule in life through Christ. (verse 17)

Read Romans 5:12-21

Chaos theory states that the gentle fluttering of butterfly wings on one side of the world can magnify to a tornado on the other side of the world. True or not, all actions have consequences, and not always ones you can predict.

When Adam sinned, he knew that his disobedience would lead to death. He probably did not realise his sin would result in your death and the deaths of all people. His sin also means a spiritual death for you, because you are born incapable of living a sinless life. What a vicious cycle! A butterfly flutter gone crazy. Yet Christ broke that cycle with his death and resurrection. Through Jesus’ actions, spiritual death is destroyed and believers are justified, forgiven. Pure in his sight. For it is true that ‘all who receive God’s abundant grace and are freely put right with him will rule in life through Christ’ (verse 17b).

You took away the burden of death from your people, Lord, and broke the cycle of sin. Keep me close to you, so that I may remain pure in your sight. Amen.

by Kathy Hoopman, in ‘Renewed Hope for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2000)

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