1. The Law and Death
In my quiet time this morning I read Romans 5:13-14, ( NIV).
For before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command as did Adam, who was a pattern for the one to come.
I read that passage many times before, but today it spoke to me differently as I realized the ramifications of what Paul was saying. In essence Paul said that Adam disobeyed God’s command in the Garden and therefore sinned and died. However, from the time of Adam until the Law of Moses people did not sin because Moses had not yet given the Law, but they still died because of the sinful nature inherited from Adam. The New Century Version Bible reads like this:
Sin was in the world before the Law of Moses, but sin is not counted against us as breaking a command when there is no Law. But from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, everyone had to die, even those who had not sinned by breaking a command as Adam did.
In Romans 7:7, Paul clarifies that the Law is not sinful but only serves to make us aware what sin is.
People ask me sometimes what happens to babies and young children when they die? I answer the same thing that happened to the people who lived from the time of Adam until Moses. They died because of their sinful nature, but their sins were not counted against them because they had not received the Law yet. God is not going to hold us accountable for something that we did not receive.
Well, my mind raced with that thought. Does that mean people in the remote parts of the world who have not heard the Gospel or about the Law that they will die and no sins will be counted against them? If that was the case, then the worst thing that we could do is send missionaries to them because once they hear they are then going to be held accountable for their sins. No. That’s not the case. Today the general Laws of God are written on everyone’s heart (Romans. 2:12-16). Our conscience works with this Law (Romans 1:18-32). Today, everyone is under the Law. Except for those who have received the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the Cross (the 2nd Adam). They are under God’s grace.
2. Grace and Life
There are Five truths to God’s forgiveness and grace.
1. God’s forgiveness is a gift of God’s grace. Grace is getting something that we don’t deserve. Mercy is not getting something we deserve. The debt we owe God for our sin is death and separation from God. Jesus paid our sin debt so that we could have our sins forgiven and fellowship with God again. We all have the debt of sin we can’t pay (Rom. 6:23) and need God’s grace. God’s grace is our only hope. The good news is that God will graciously forgive us if we go to Him. We don’t deserve His grace. If we did then it would not be grace. God’s grace and forgiveness is a gift (Eph. 2:8).
2. God’s forgiveness is life changing. When God forgives, He forgives completely and permanently (Jer. 31:34). There is now no more guilt and condemnation in Christ (Rom. 8:1).
3. You must receive God’s grace. Some of us have a hard time accepting God’s forgiveness because we have a hard accepting His grace because we feel as if we don’t deserve it. Remember, if we deserved it then it would nor be grace.
4. God’s forgiveness enables us to experience His heavenly peace. When God forgives, He intends for His peace to follow (Luke 7:50).
5. God’s forgiveness motivates us to tell others about Him. I do not believe that it is possible to know and experience God’s grace and want to keep it to oneself. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” Another name for “good news,” is “gospel.” In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, God’s Word says,
Now bothers, I want to remind you of the gospel [good news] I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, … Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
3. We Must Tell the Good News.
When it comes to telling people about the good news of Jesus Christ, you may say, “But I don’t know enough about the Bible to share my faith.” Or “I don’t have the gift of evangelism.” I would suggest you just speak from your heart. No one had to teach you how to say “I love you” to someone. No one had to teach you to brag about your accomplishments or yell when you are excited. Just speak from the heart and tell people the difference Christ has made in your life.
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good post