All the more

Slices

Prepare

Think back over this week as it ends today. What have you seen of God’s goodness? What has challenged your faith? Talk to God about your reflection.

Bible passage

Romans 5:12–21

Death through Adam, life through Christ

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned –

13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 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 is a pattern of the one to come.

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: the judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For 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.

20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

WL

Explore

Have you ever researched your family tree? Did you find any surprises, or even shocks at what your ancestors got up to? Today’s reading offers two possible family trees for any and every human being. One has Adam at the head, and the other has Jesus at the head. 

Adam’s inheritance, passed on to everyone, is experienced as sin, judgement, condemnation and death (vs 12,16,18,19). That’s quite the legacy! By stark contrast, the inheritance in Jesus’ family tree is forgiveness, right-standing with God and a transformed life (vs 16,17). 

As things got worse in the Adam-life, God kept turning up the levels of grace ‘all the more’ (v 20) so that anyone, no matter what level of Adam they’d sunk to, could experience life in the Jesus tree. 

We can’t change our own family trees, but we can do something about our spiritual ancestry. Born in Adam, there is a way to change our inheritance. How? By receiving ‘God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness’ (v 17). Faith in Jesus rewrites our spiritual history. Simple as that.

Author
David Lawrence

Respond

Draw a family tree, with your name at the bottom and Jesus at the top. How does that look to you? Keep it as a reminder of where your spiritual inheritance now lies.

Bible in a year

Read the Bible in a year: Exodus 29,30; Psalm 18

Pray for Scripture Union

Pray for Mission Partner Impact Schools’ three part-time workers – Darren Mayor, Huw Ellis and Cara Garton – as they go into 30 primary and 3 high schools in North Powys doing assemblies. Pray that the Christian message will be thought-provoking and well received.

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