Justification: A Study in RomansNäide

What does it say?

Sin and death entered the world through Adam, but grace and righteousness came through Jesus Christ.

What does it mean?

Every person born into the world is related to Adam by flesh and blood. Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden plunged all of mankind into sin and death. The only way to escape the judgment and condemnation of being “in Adam” is to accept God’s gift of righteousness through a spiritual relationship with Jesus. Being “in Christ” offers eternal life and so much more. The added benefits include peace with God, access to God, knowing the love of God, being reconciled to God, experiencing the grace of God, and receiving the gift of God: righteousness.

How should I respond?

Spend an hour in a room of two-year-olds, and you’ll see evidence of man’s sinful nature. Still, it’s not politically correct to tell people they are born sinners because it may harm their self-esteem. Yet the Bible says we’re all born sinners condemned to judgment. In Scripture, “But God” is usually followed by a divine act of grace or mercy. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus died for you! How can anything boost your self-esteem more than that? You cannot change the fact that you were born in Adam, but you can choose to live in Christ.