Text – Romans 5:19 –“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”
The subject of sin is a subject that has caused so much controversy among believers. The arguments have been on for a very long time, but in recent times, more serious attention has been given to this subject.
Some say, a believer cannot sin, he can only make mistakes… they say, even of the believers does anything wrong, God does not see it. According to this view, even if a ‘Christian’ goes to sleep with another man’s wife, all God sees in him is the righteousness of Jesus!
Another view even says that sin does not exist anymore! They say that sin was nailed to the cross with Jesus, and that when Jesus rose, he did not rise up with sin... According to them, that was the last time sin was seen in the world, so man has no capacity to sin anymore!
I cannot but wonder what Bible these people are reading. They talk as though sin is not a serious issue; as though holiness is not something to passionately pursue; as if the death and resurrection of Christ gives us a license to live recklessly.
From the Bible, I see that Sin is of three types. While these three types of sin fall under the broad name, SIN – They are to be understood separately as scriptures teach.
1. The Original Sin This was the sin that Adam committed in the Garden of Eden. This was the sin that led to the fall of mankind. Bible makes us to understand in Romans 5:12 that by the sin of Adam, sin entered the world, and all of humanity became sinners by nature.
2. Imputed Sin The original sin of Adam was imputed on all of mankind; this means that not only do we have a part in the original sin (the sinful nature, and all the evil tendencies, desires, and dispositions that come with it), but also that we are as guilty as Adam was and are condemned to the wrath of God.
3. Personal Sin This are the acts of sin that a man commits by himself, basically by acting on the evil tendencies, desires, and dispositions that comes with the sinful nature in him.
When Jesus died on the cross, he became the second Adam, that by His obedience, many should be made righteous. As we see in our text, this means that when we accept Jesus as our Lord and savior, the nature of sin is dealt with, and we no longer have a part in the Original Sin. This is purely a free work of grace, and excludes any human effort or work.
Furthermore, by Jesus’ death on the cross, we can receive a new legal standing before God. No longer as guilty, we become the riotousness of God in Christ Jesus. Galatians 2:16 says that our right standing before God is by solely faith, without the works of the law.
Before salvation, personal sin is of no significance. It’s after salvation that we begin to address the subject of personal sin… Since personal sin is a product of the sinful nature, when a man comes to Christ and the sinful nature is removed, the born again person is expected to live in newness of life – having the evidence of a changed and a changing life!
Shall we continue in Sin that grace may abound?
PRAYER
1. Lord, help me to live a life that is pleasing to you.
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