Romans 5
I have grown to enjoy the song, “This is the stuff that drives me crazy” by Francesca Battistelli. The song talks about all the little things that happen in life that can be very crazy but also prove that we need to trust God even more. That is the essence of the first 5 verses in Romans 5.
This section of Romans is part of the Bible I wish was not there. I don’t want to go through trials and difficulties. I want every thing to run smoothly, this passage states that we will go through the struggles but it does not state that we can’t go through them smoothly. I believe it is our choice whether we learn things the easy way or the hard way. The truth according to the first 5 verses in Romans 5 is that we will go through struggles but they will be used to give us a renewed sense of hope. Those that don’t trust the Lord will go through struggles as well but there is no guarantee of hope for them.
Paul then shifts to the great news contrasting the first man, Adam, with the second Adam, Jesus. Through the first Adam came disobedience and an offense to God resulting in judgment and death. Death was given reign over our lives because of this offense.
Through the second Adam, Jesus, we have been given life. Jesus life, death, and resurrection is a grace gift given to us. The gift of Jesus’ life gave us the gift of grace that resulted in the justification of our lives despite sin, leading us and giving us eternal life. The law revealed the first Adam’s sin in even greater measure and the contrast is that the grace, Jesus life pours out on each of us, reveals our justification and eternal life.
The easy summary
I know the theology can get a bit confusing here but the quick understanding is this: the first man, Adam through his sin condemned all of mankind to a life ruled by sin and to eternal death. Through the second Adam, Jesus, his death on the cross for all of our sins, broke the curse Adam put in place through his sin. Jesus life and death broke the power of death over us. Until we come to Jesus we are all bound by Adam’s curse by default. When we come to Jesus the grace that He poured out on the cross and the victory over death that came with it, is ours to have for eternity.
Once you come to Christ, you are no longer the result of the bad decisions you have made and will make, you are no longer bound by the sins you have committed and will commit. You are free because of God’s grace. Don’t allow your past or future sins to control you, ask for forgiveness and it will be given. Your sin has no legal right to control you. Jesus won the battle on the cross. Death has lost its victory. You now have victory forever.
Tomorrow – Romans 6
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