Sunday 10 February 2019

By one man...by one Man

For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. – Romans 5.17-19

Three times in the little section we read ‘for by one man this and by one man that.’

For by one man’s offence sin reigned..grace is given by One’
By one man’s offence judgement…through one man’s righteousness the free gift…’
By one man’s disobedience…by one Man’s obedience’

The first man, of course, is Adam who, by his sin cast the whole world into and through whom we all became sinners. Through the first Adam sin and death and condemnation and disobedience entered the world and curse of sin was passed because ‘all have sinned.’

But ‘the second Adam from above’ resinstated us by His love. Through His righteous acts came the free gift and justification of life and and an abundance of grace and righteousness so that instead of sin reigning righteousness will reign.

This is why Jesus had to be Emmanuel, God with us. He had to take on flesh and blood and become a man and take on the role of a servant. A man messed everything up and only a man could sort it out. Jesus, the God/man man/God was the only one who could do out because any other man would only have messed it up again like first Adam did.

By one man death passed to all men
By one Man came life everlasting

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