The scripture for today begins at Romans chapter 5 verses 19-21:
For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We are continuing to review the attributes of God’s grace:
Grace Reigns
God’s grace has power and authority. The law has no power. It merely says “do this” and then it leaves it all up to us. Grace enables God’s purpose to be carried out. Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Ephesians 2:1-5 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).
Grace Sanctifies
Hebrews 8:6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. Hebrews 8:10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws into their minds,
And I will write them on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.
So instead of the law being on stone tables on the outside, God put his law inside on the tablets of our hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:3 being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
1 John 3:8-9
8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
This is not saying that you never sin again but it says you no longer “practice sin”. God works in us.
Philippians 2:12-13 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
In our minds, we understand it.
1 Corinthians 13:10-12 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
1 Peter 1:16 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.
Hebrews 10:15-17
Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
These verses remind me of a dream I had many years ago where I was sitting in a classroom and using a slate with a piece of chalk. On the slate I began to write a list of my sins. As I was writing very intently, I glance up at the top of the list and there was a line going through the first sin on the list. I was not writing the line. Then a second later the sin began to fade away. Try as I might, I was unable to remember the sin I had just listed a few moments earlier. So I continued with my list and glanced up again. There I saw the next sin get a line drawn through it. And then slowly fade away. This continued to happen until the entire slate was empty and I awoke so completely humbled by the grace of God.
Let us pray for God to open our understanding to his wondrous grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Leave a Response »