Romans 5:12-21 The Path of Pardon
We are still following along with Paul as he writes to the Roman church. He is expounding on the fact that it is not the Law that saves man, but faith. Faith in Christ Jesus. Today Paul shares the universalness of Adam’s sin and Jesus’ gift of grace.
When Adam sinned, broke God’s direct commandment, his spirit died that day. His physical body took a while to reap that “benefit” but it eventually died too. His dead spirit was passed on to each and every decedent from that moment on. Sin is what caused that death and what keeps each one of us separated from God. We sin because our spirit is dead even at birth.
Jesus didn’t share the same father as the rest of mankind so He didn’t receive the same dead spirit we do. Jesus’ Father is God, not Adam. Jesus’ spirit is alive. He was not born into sin and was not bound by it as we are.
Sin requires a reckoning, payment. That payment is always the same, death. When Jesus went to the cross to pay the charges levied against Him He was innocent. If it were just His sins He was supposed to be carrying on the cross, He could have and should have simply walked away from this punishment. But He chose to carry ours instead.
Jesus was innocent of the charges against Him so the grave could not hold Him. We are pardoned from our sins when we accept His substitution for us on the cross. When we ask to become part of His family we receive a new spirit, one that is alive. Our dead spirit is no more. For the sin that we are guilty of, Jesus purchased a pardon for us with His own blood.
Jesus freely offers this pardon to every person. He longs to give us this gift of grace. But we each have to agree to accept it. That acceptance of His substitution is accomplished only through faith
Many people think they are good enough on their own and don’t need “help.” But there is a HUGE difference between innocence and “good enough.” God’s yardstick doesn’t have a measurement of “good enough.” There are only three conditions possible; innocence, pardoned, or guilty. Jesus is the only one who was EVER innocent. When you accept Jesus’ substitution work on the cross He pardons you and you are seen through God’s eyes as innocent. Or you are presented with EVERY sin you EVER did, including the sin you inherited; a dead spirit. That sin separates you from God, no matter how good you think you are.
No following a list of do’ and don’t, or performing good deeds, or being born into a specific group is going to get you into Heaven. The Law can’t do it, works can’t do it, and neither can human blood lines. Only faith in Jesus Christ and acceptance of the work HE did on your behalf can. Adam brought us ALL death and Jesus offers us ALL life.
Father God, I had a very hard time expressing what I was feeling in my spirit tonight. I pray that those who read this will understand where You were taking me. I pray it is clear and exactly what YOU wanted to say.
Thank You Jesus for buying my pardon. I do not qualify as innocent and therefore have no right to enter into Your Kingdom. But You gave me Your right as soon as I asked. You don’t hold my pardon out as conditional and yank it back at the first sign of straying from the straight and narrow. That too Jesus is an AMAZING gift. Help me live out my gratitude to You every day in how I treat others. Help me show Your love to those who don’t know You as well as those who do. Make me Your instrument of love.
