Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The problem with a gift

This morning I'm reading in Romans 5 and I came to these words, "15 But the gift is not like the trespass." In the middle of this amazing chapter these words stood out to me. I stopped for a moment to reflect on the chapter and these words specifically. This chapter is primarily a contrast between what Adam did and the resulting curse with what Christ did and the resulting blessing. "The gift is not like the trespass." It struck me that the trespass, Adam's sin, affected us all. All of us are heirs to Adam's sin and we actively live it out. But Christ came, provided life and salvation, and then offered it to whosoever will believe. It's a wonderful free gift, but it's not like the trespass....it's not universal, it must be received...accepted...believed. Adam's sin affected us all and the result is death. Christ's sacrifice provided life for all who will believe. That's the problem with a gift...you have to receive it. In light of the debate of these days and discussion among Christians I thought this was an interesting phrase from Paul's writings in Romans 5. Amazing how timely God's word is, isn't it?

1 comment:

Mike McM said...

One chapter over Romans 6,3, we have another little discussed nuggit. "(We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death) in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of Father we too may live a new life. Paul then goes on to tell about the new life. Were I want more information is the death into which we are baptised. I think that one topic would preach a years worth of sermons to tap the surface of the topic.