“So that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” vs21

Eternal life is God’s gift through One Man Jesus Christ. Just as we died in one man Adam, being made sinners, even so, we are made righteous through One Man Jesus Christ. He fully obeyed God, even to the death, just as Adam fully disobeyed. God raised Christ, however, from the dead, because He pleased Him. He put away sins, so that God could be gracious.

First, God’s grace is greater than His condemnation. He says, “The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” He’d rather show mercy than condemnation, and He gets more glory from saving sinners [2 Cor 3:7-11]. It is according to God’s character through Jesus Christ, the Perfect Man, that He shows Himself gracious in bringing many sons to glory [Heb 2:10]. He is no ogre, but He heaps up grace and mercy. He doesn’t need to be pacified, but He appeased Himself, bore His own wrath, and gave His own Son. He truly is the Most Beautiful Being.

Put your faith in Christ, no matter how disobedient, filthy, and rebellious you are, and YOU will be saved. Grace will abound over your sinfulness. It will leap over it like Superman. It will exceed it, even as the heavens exceed the earth. You will see how great God is.

Secondly, do not fear, my beloved brethren. God wants to receive you, so He sends the gospel to penetrate your heart. He will catch you, when you LET GO of your own righteousness [vs15-17]. “Therefore, just as one trespass brought condemnation for all men, so also one act of righteousness brought justification and life for all men. 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.” He will not let you fall. The God that kills babies and constitutes them sinners...the God that has brought death upon the earth and horrible consequences for sin, even all the impact of the curse… is much more gracious in Christ than He is furious in Adam.

He is Greater than heart can wish. He forgives freely, bears patiently, and He does all in love, even giving us our cross. He is with us in tribulations, so we can lean on Him, taste His faithfulness, and proclaim His greatness [vs3-5]. He gives peace in our falls, upholding strength in our difficulties, and He rules all things in love to every believer.

Do not fear and stand far off. Do not refuse the feast, but enter in, and take all that you need.

Thirdly, God’s grace makes you righteous, and then gives you all. Deal with Him by Jesus Christ. “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive an abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!" There are only two ways to walk with God - in Adam, disagreed, or in Christ, fully harmonious.

Don’t look to yourself, but look up - tempted, backslidden, and cold hearted - and He will revive you. The gospel is a gracious God. We’re NEVER worthy; it is always a gift, 24 hours a day, every day; it is always grace through Jesus Christ.

Christ is our peace. Christ is our hope. Christ is the reason. We are righteous through faith in His obedience. We please God by believing that Christ pleased God for us.

→ How is it with you? Are you carnal and fearful? Are you weighed down by Satan? Do you fear coming to God, because you are not good enough? Do you doubt that He will help? These things come because we are not trusting Christ, and there is no other way. Turn, and you will be received. Turn, and He will give you life. “So that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”