Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

April 12
Easter Sunday


MUCH MORE!

READ:
Romans :12-21
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Where sin abounded,
grace abounded much
more. __Romans 5:20
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A statement I heard at an Easter service stays with me: "More has been gained in the resurrection of Jesus than was lost in the fall." More gained than lost? Can it be true?

Each day we experience the damage caused by sin entering our world. Greed, injustice, and cruelty all trace their origins back to Adam and Eve's decision to follow their own path rather than God's (Gen. 3). The legacy of their disobedience is passed down to every generation. Without God's intervention, we would be in a hopeless situation. But Jesus overpowered sin through His cross and conquered death through His resurrection.

The victory of Christ is celebrated in Romans 5, often called the "much more" chapter of the New Testament, where Paul contrasts the devastation caused by sin with the restoring power of God's grace. In every case, grace overpowers the consequences of sin. In a grand conclusion, Paul says: "Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (5:20-21).

No matter how much we have personally lost because of sin, we have gained far more through the resurrection victory of Christ.
__David McCasland
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``````````````Sin and despair, like the sea-waves cold,`````````````
`````````````````Threaten the soul with infinite loss;```````````````
``````````````Grace that is greater--yes, grace untold--`````````````
```````````Points to the refuge, the might cross. __Johnston`````````
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Our sin is great--God's grace is greater.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ Romans 5:12-21**********

12 Therefore, just as
through one man sin entered
the world, and death through
sin, and thus death spread
to all men, because all
sinned-- 13 (For until the
law sin was in the world,
but sin is not imputed when
there is no law.

14 Nevertheless death
reigned from Adam to
Moses, even over those who
had not sinned according
to the likeness of the
transgression of Adam, who
is a type of Him who was to
come.

15 But the free gift is not
like the offense. For if by
the one man's offense many
died, much more the grace
of God and the gift by the
grace of the one Man, Jesus
Christ, abounded to many.

16 And the gift is not like
that which came through
the one who sinned. For
the judgment which came
from one offense resulted
in condemnation, but the
free gift which came from
many offenses resulted
in justification. 17 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.)

18 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. 19 For as
by one man's disobedience
many were made sinners,
so also by one Man's
obedience many will be
made righteous.

20 Moreover the law
entered that the offense
might abound. But where sin
abounded, grace abounded
much more, 21 so that as sin
reigned in death, even so
grace might reign through
righteousness to eternal life
through Jesus Christ our
Lord.