{"id":21108,"date":"2023-07-29T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-29T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/urc\/urc-daily-devotion-saturday-29-july-2023"},"modified":"2023-07-29T06:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-07-29T05:00:00","slug":"urc-daily-devotion-saturday-29-july-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/urc-daily-devotion-saturday-29-july-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"URC Daily Devotion Saturday 29 July 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

Romans 5: 12 – 21<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned\u2014  sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.<\/span><\/p>\n

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man\u2019s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many.  And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man\u2019s sin. For the judgement following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification.  If, because of the one man\u2019s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore just as one man\u2019s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man\u2019s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all.  For just as by the one man\u2019s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man\u2019s obedience the many will be made righteous. But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,  so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflection<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sin.  We\u2019re surrounded by it.  Our passage says that death has spread to all because we have all sinned.<\/span>
 
But there is an antidote: a rescue plan is already in place.  In fact it is more than that, because, verse 15, the free gift \u2013 God\u2019s plan to overrule and defeat sin \u2013 is not like the trespass.  God\u2019s grace isn\u2019t just rebalancing the scales weighed down by sin.  It changes the game completely.<\/span>
 
The free gift, the grace of God in Jesus, so completely changes the game that one \u2013 the effects of sin \u2013 cannot be compared with the other \u2013 God\u2019s endless love for us all.<\/span>
 
The doesn\u2019t mean that the effects of sin in the world and in our lives has disappeared or counts for nothing since Jesus came.  We are all still in need of forgiveness.  But that forgiveness is freely given to us when we ask for it.  Forgiveness comes through Jesus Christ, which abounds, overflows, exceeds our wildest hopes and dreams.<\/span>
 
\u201cYou can take the person out of [insert your favourite location], but you can’t take the [favourite location] out of the person\u2026\u201d  The phrase would suggest something fundamental to a person\u2019s identity based on where they began.  Not so for us: It\u2019s where we belong now \u2013 in Christ \u2013 that matters.  The old has gone, the new has come.  You can\u2019t take God\u2019s love found in Christ Jesus out of us now!<\/span><\/p>\n

Prayer<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Holy God, we give you thanks that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus you have so completely defeated sin.  Help us not to linger in the thoughts of sin, failure and despair, but to embrace daily the Good News and so live as people of deep, undamaged, unbridled hope.  Help us to live our new reality as those beloved by you and set free by your grace.<\/span> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Romans 5: 12 – 21 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned\u2014  sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from … <\/p>\n

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