December 20, 2022 REIGNING IN LIFE
Romans 5:17, 5:1-2 “For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
One could spend much time studying the essential truths of the gospel found in the fifth chapter of the book of Romans. The main theme of this chapter is about Christ, the Righteous One, dying for the sins of many; volumes could be written about the implications of that reality. We must never lose sight of just how awesome it is to have our sins forgiven and to be reconciled to God; God has shown abundance grace to us. Had Christ not died for our transgressions, we would be condemned sinners; Christ dying on a cross was the ultimate expression of the grace of God being extended to us. Christ death and resurrection not only accomplished our being forgiven of our sins, it also meant that we are restored to our Father. Being forgiven and restored to God is a huge, huge deal; it changes everything! As we receive all that God did on our behalf, we are ushered into a brand new life-here on earth. In fact, the above verse tells us that because we ‘have received the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, we will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.’ Wow! Instead of living in bondage to sin, we live in the joy of all sin being forgiven; instead of being fearful, we are bold; in place of hopelessness, we are filled with hope; instead of having doubt, we have confidence; in place of selfishness, we discover the joy of being givers; and instead of trying to figure life out on our own, we have the Spirit of God living in us to guide and empower us for life. Reigning in life does not mean that we are exempt from trials; it does mean that we are not defeated by the trials but that we overcome the trials. What God has done for us is absolutely amazing to say the least. God has done what He has done; now, our part is to believe, to receive, and to act on all that He has done on our behalf. This brings up the absolute necessity of knowing just what He has done; it is a no-brainer that if we want to know what He has done, we must read and study His word; His word reveals His character, His plans and purposes for mankind, our true identity; His word gives us instructions for life and through His word, we gain wisdom. To reign in life means we rise above the ways of the world; it means we live in the peace of God no matter the circumstances. Let us be forever mindful of our being justified before God and our relationship with Him restored-all because we have received abundant grace through Jesus who died for us.
Isaiah 40:29-31 “He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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