ROMANS 5:18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. 20The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
If we read this whole chapter of Romans 5, we see that Paul is talking about our recounciliation with Christ because of the atonement He made on the cross. Adam was the first man to sin, and by that act sin entered the world forever. There was absolutely no way to be made righteous with God without atonement, or the shedding of blood.
In Old Testament times, blood sacrifices were made in order to recouncil man with God. Paul, an educated Jewish leader himself, realized that there was no way any one could keep the law of God in and of themselves. This is the same law that Paul went about the known world attempting to uphold. Once Paul understood that the precious blood of Jesus was the only way to be saved, he spent his entire life telling all who would listen about the powerlessness of the law....and the righteousness of Christ! As a matter of fact, vs 20 tells us that the law was added so that trespass, or sin would increase. Why would God want sin to increase?
What we have to understand here is that it never was nor never will be God’s will for sin to increase; rather that sin should decrease and be eliminated from the life of a christian. What Paul is saying here is that by the giving of the law, then the people began to understand right from wrong. They knew when they had broken one of the laws...there were no "gray" areas. If you get stopped by the police for going 75 in a 65 mph zone, you know you have broken the law. The speed limit signs are posted, and there is no question in your mind what speed is acceptable.
In the same manner, the law gave men a gauge of what was acceptable behaviour with God and what was NOT acceptable. Just as you cannot go before a judge and wiggle out of a speeding ticket whenever you are caught on radar, you could not wiggle out of the laws of God by claiming you didn’t know what God expected of you. You might go try to argue your case to a judge over a ticket, but simply telling the judge that you didn’t see the signs is not a good excuse to get you off the hook. What is that saying...ignorance of the law is no excuse?
This is the case of the Old Testament law. There was no arguing if you sinned against God’s law....you were simply found guilty. And no, you did not have the right to demand a trial before the judge....you were already judged guilty! The difference that came after the new covenant is that you are still guilty, but your fine has been paid. We know these scriptures well, don’t we? In Romans 3:23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God but let’s look at the whole context in ROMANS 3:21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. 27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
We are justified by grace thru the redemptive act of Christ’s atonement on the cross. It goes on to tell us that we are really not excluded from the law, but that it is our faith in Jesus that justifies our relationship with God. Actually, our text says that we are in reality upholding the law by our faith! Sound confusing? Well, God is not the author of confusion, so we need to be perfectly clear!
Jesus paid our debt. Think about it like this...you have a fine to pay say to...the IRS and it is due before a certain date. You are unable to pay the fine; it is too much for you to come with. Someone (rich family member?) tells you "don’t worry...I’ll pay it for you". Now that’s fine, but suppose now that you are in another city and can’t be there to see him pay it. You would have to have the faith that this relative did what he said he would do....otherwise, you would always be in fear of getting thrown in jail because you weren’t sure if your fine had been taken care of. That’s what it means to have faith in Christ Jesus!
You see, I know that I in myself am a sinner and sin cannot be recouciled to God. He will not accept sin in any form. My faith in Jesus is what makes it possible to have a right relationship with God. I know He paid my fine. I know I can depend on Him to do what He already has said that He’d do! Therefore, he who the Spirit has set free is...... free indeed! In Jesus, I’m debt-free!
So now I am free to totally dis-obey God’s laws, aren’t I? Of course not! If I get a speeding ticket and pay for it, that doesn’t mean that now I can get back on that same road and speed again, does it? That sounds stupid, doesn’t it? Then tell me what happens to christians? Look in ROMANS 6:1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
With freedom comes a different lifestyle. We have already established that we are sinners in and of ourselves. How can we be free from sin? You have to kill it! Vs 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.Wow....I have to die to be free from sin? Certainly God isn’t advocating suicide here! You have to put to death your old life. Simple as that. JOHN 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Let’s read on in ROMANS 6:11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
"There it is again, Preach’a.....we aren’t under the law, we are under grace!" Listen, if you don’t get anything else today, get this... grace is a gift from God, but it came at a very high cost! Don’t trample the precious blood of Jesus by excusing sin in your life that you refuse to repent from! Let’s read on... ROMANS 6:15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Well, those are pretty words, preacher. Are you a slave to righteousness? Or do you abuse God’s grace by allowing certain sins to remain in your life because they’re too "legalistic"?
I know it’s not popular to talk about judgement, and the one who’s judgement ultimately matters is God’s, but maybe it’s a good idea for us to judge ourselves. How many christians say "well, you can’t judge me! Don’t be judging me!" Christians in name only, bearing no fruit of God’s Spirit are abounding these days. People make fun of us "stuffy" christians that try to always do the right thing. "You’re too bound up.....too legalistic. Look in 1 PETER 4: 16However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. I am not ashamed that I want to not sin anymore. It is time for judgment to begin with the family of God. Where are you at today? How would you judge yourself? More importantly, how would God judge you?
