Romans 5:18-21
So, I have good news - my wife and I adopted a baby boy and we just got to bring him home on Saturday night. We were so excited! My wife travelled in the back of the car just so she could sit beside him all the way home - even though all he does is sleep. When we brought him into church, everyone was gathered around to see and in the service I got to introduce him to everyone (I held him up over my head like a trophy! I certainly felt like I had won a championship!). It such exciting news that I find myself sharing it with everyone - I just got off the phone with Canadian Blood Services (I missed my appointment last week in all the excitement) and I told the wonderful lady on the phone my good news. I couldn't help it! It just spills out of me.
Paul is announcing some incredible news here: the human race, living under the condemnation of God as a result of one man's trespass, has hope for life because of one man's act of righteousness. Incredible! Even more incredible than our little son (as hard as that might be to imagine). This is simply wonderful news - I, and the rest of humanity, don't have to live under the cloud and weight of God's judgement and wrath any longer because one man (Jesus - in case you hadn't figured that out yet) acted in righteousness and provided justification, available for us all. If the result of disobeying God is death, the result of this man's obedience means life!
This fits into the rest of Paul's argument: not only are we saved from judgement but we are made alive through faith in Jesus Christ. The law doesn't save us from judgement - it doesn't even bring life. The law, according to Paul, is meant to highlight the need we have for redemption. It causes our way of living to stand out in stark contrast to the holiness of God. It is the act of Jesus that brings us life!
Great news! I wonder why it doesn't burst out of me like the news about my son does?
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