Romans 5:15-16 But the gracious gift is not like the offense. For if by the offense of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand, the judgment arose from one offense, resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand, the gracious gift arose from many offenses, resulting in justification.
Think about the gift of God's grace, ......Jesus.
In the most simple way, Paul made it crystal clear that we either live from what we inherited through the first Adam, or we live from what we have received from God, His gracious gift, the Last Adam, Jesus Christ.
Can you still remember what Adam did after he sinned?
Adam even says in Genesis 3:10: "I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself (Gen 3:10)."
Thats the very 1st time in Creation we get to hear the words "afraid" and "hide" and till this day, and all of us inherited from Adam this idea of hiding from God, covering up our sin and shame, yes not with fig leaves and hide behind a tree, but covering up with works and achievements or talents and hide behind it all.
But praise the Lord that none of us ever have to hide ourselves from Him ever again, all because of His gift in Christ unto us!
By grace through Him, and only through Him by grace, God's gift imparts unto us justification and righteousness and life!
Why would anyone want to hide from God and be dressed in shame and later feel comfortable in their own efforts that still lead to condemnation, guilt, and death?
Do not miss nor reject the gracious gift of God in Christ!
Even our brother James wanted us to look closely and intently to this gift of God in His Son, as he wrote: "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does" (James 1:25).
The perfect law of LIBERTY, no leaves, no cover up, no shame, no guilt, no hiding, all because the gift of God liberated us to live by faith in Christ under this law!
Anybody that truly receives the gracious gift of God through faith in Christ won't operate through the law of captivity and servitude and hiding behind all we do to cover up our sins; no, we will behold the perfect law of liberty, the work of Jesus Christ for us and in us, and embrace God's gift!
May you embrace God's gracious gift fully and wholly receive Him.
May you gaze into the perfect work Christ did in us through His death, burial, and resurrection, and witness the perfect law, live by the perfect law of liberty, of freedom in Him, and truly be blessed in all we do.
Amen...