Romans 5:1-21
Verse 9 of Romans chapter 5 compliments and strengthens verse 8 by using
the "much more" phrase. In other words, not only did God commended His
love towards us while we were sinners, but He has done much more, in
that He has justified us by His blood (not by our works) and also saved
us all from the wrath of the law of Moses, and the wrath that would
had come through the Revelation that had been given to John. Thank God
for the blood! So here is the goodnews. Jesus died for the ungodly.
Died for the unrighteous. Loved us while we were yet sinners. Justified
us through His blood and saved us from all wrath.
It doesn't get any better than that. What more can we ask for? What
more is there to be done? What other wrath is there yet to come? What
more needs to be fulfilled? What battle or war is there yet to be fought?
What demon or devil or spirit has yet to be defeated? What other cross
must Jesus die on? What sin or sins is Jesus yet to redeem us from?
What other works are left to be done? How many prayers and prophecies
are yet to be prayed and fulfilled? How many sinners are yet to be died
for? How many enemies is God yet to reconciled? How many sins are yet
to be confessed?
Check out verse 10, and the constant usage of the past tense: "For
if, when we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, MUCH MORE,
being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Question:
"When were we reconciled and who was it that did the reconciliation?"
Friends, the entire work of redemption for all of mankind took place
at the cross. Just as all were found guilty of the sin of unbelief under
the law of Moses, so now are all found righteous before the throne of
grace under the cross of Christ. Now we know why Paul said in verse
11 that 'we also rejoice.' "And not only have we been reconciled
to God by the death of His Son, and saved by His life, but we also rejoice
in God because we all have received the atonement."
If we connect verses 10 and 11 together we can see God's grace at
its very best. Paul is preparing us for what we are about to read in
verses 12 through 21. If I were to narrow it all down, verses 12 through
21 would read something like this: "This is your life before the cross
and this is your life after the cross." Under the law ALL were doomed,
and under grace ALL are saved through the shed blood of Christ." I cannot
see it any clearer than this. The power of God's redemptive plan for
both Jews and Gentiles starts at verse 6 of Romans and closes at verse
21 of Romans. I don't know for the life of me what is so difficult about
understanding the simple common sense truths in these verses
As long as religion continues to be bent on performance they will never
understand the difference between law and grace. They will continue
to trust in their own works to attain to something that has already
been once and for all settled, finished and completed at the cross of
Jesus Christ. That's the reason why I don't see any difference between
a religious cult and religious christianity. They both are still seeking
to justify themselves by and through their own filthy rags of self-righteousness.
Although Paul is mostly addressing Jews here in the letter to the Romans,
he might as well be addressing this letter to our Evangelical Christian
Church of today, who like the Jews, they too are still trusting in the
shedding of their own bloody religious performance.
To be continued....
Grace N Peace
Eddie Narvaez