Frequently when a baby is born, friends and family will look to see who the child resembles. People will notice that the child has their father’s eyes, their mother’s hair color, and grandma’s dimples. As they grow older other traits may become evident, such as their mother’s good study habits, their father’s swift running ability, and also some negative ones, as well, such as his quick temper. As we look into our Scripture passage from Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, we read of something else we have inherited, this time from our first parent, Adam.
Just as we inherit many physical traits from our parents, we all have inherited our sin nature from our first father, Adam. No one has to teach a young child to do something disobedient, as it comes naturally to them. We also inherited death through our descent from Adam. Every human will one day physically die. When Adam and Eve sinned, their relationship with God was severed, and they died spiritually. As children of Adam, we are also born spiritually dead, alienated and separated from God (vs. 12 - 14). Every one of our sins each day confirms our connection with Adam. We are just like him, prone to rebel against God.
Because we are all descended from Adam, we are all born sinners, and are all separated from God. A sacrifice to atone for the sin was needed to restore the relationship between God and man. Without that sacrifice, the result of our sins is eternal death. God required a perfect sacrifice to pay for sin. That sacrifice would have to come from someone who had no sin of their own, else they would need to be making a sacrifice to atone for their own sins, and would not be able to atone for others. Any person born from a human mother and father would be born with a sinful flesh nature inherited from Adam, and would not be a fit, perfect sacrifice. Jesus Christ did not have a human father, thus no sin nature. He could be that sacrifice.
We are all slaves to sin through our descent from Adam. Keeping God’s Law doesn’t bring salvation, and breaking that Law did not bring death, as there was death long before the Law was given. Death is the result of Adam’s sin. The Law was given to help people see their sinfulness, to show the seriousness of their offenses, and to draw them to God for mercy. As people sinned more, God’s grace became more abundant (vs. 20).
No one could possibly ever qualify to pay the price of salvation. Jesus is the only one who could pay that price, and He gives it freely to those who come to Him. It is impossible without Jesus to live in a way that pleases God. We have all inherited Adam’s guilt, his sinful nature, and God’s punishment. However, because of Jesus, we can trade judgment for forgiveness, and our sins for Jesus’ righteousness (vs. 15 - 19). If we accept Him as our Savior, we become a member of God’s family, and inherit eternal life. If we do not accept Jesus as our Savior, we will inherit death in hell through Adam.
One man, Adam’s sin affected the whole human race. In the same way, one Man, Jesus’ righteousness would also bless all mankind. However, Jesus’ one act of redemption was immeasurably greater than Adam’s one act of sin. Jesus’ actions bring life to all who accept Him. When we accept Him, we become part of His family, and then inherit His qualities. The more we live for Jesus, the more we become like Him, looking more like Him and less like Adam.
I am thankful that I am a part of the second “many” of verse 15 when I accepted Jesus as my Savior. Because of that, God’s love transferred me into the territory of His marvelous, infinite, matchless grace. God is in the business of grace, forgiveness, and restoration (vs 21). We need to recognize our sin for what it is, and come to Him in faith and repentance.
No comments:
Post a Comment