WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:04.559 Romans chapter 5, verses 12 through 21. 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:07.040 Let's stand for the reading of God's word. 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:21.440 It says, Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned. 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:24.879 In fact, sin was in the world before the law. 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:29.199 But sin is not charged to a person's account when there is no law. 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:39.119 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:41.759 He is a type of the coming one. 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:44.479 But the gift is not like the trespass. 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:56.640 For if by the one man's trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift which comes through the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflowed to many? 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:04.159 And the gift is not like the one man's sin, because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation. 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:09.200 But from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification. 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:23.120 If by the one man's trespass death reigned through the one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ? 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:34.079 So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for every one, so also through one righteous act there is justification, leading to life for everyone. 00:01:34.319 --> 00:01:43.519 For just as through one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:51.439 The law came along to multiply the trespass, but where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more. 00:01:51.680 --> 00:02:01.519 So that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:02.719 Let's pray. 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:05.599 God, we thank you for the book of Romans. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:16.080 We thank you for all that you're teaching us and how you are conforming us and how you are shaping us to be more and more like Jesus through your word. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:20.960 Lord, I pray that you would be the one speaking here this morning, that I would simply be your mouthpiece. 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:34.000 We pray, God, that we would have open hearts to the things that you want to show us, the things you want to encourage us in, the things that you want to convict us in, and that you would just do a mighty work here this morning through your word. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:39.599 God, we love you so much, and we pray that you would be glorified in all that we do. 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:40.639 In Jesus' name. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:41.360 Amen. 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:42.960 You may be seated. 00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:48.240 So as we get into this passage, we see another therefore. 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:51.120 We've seen a lot of therefore so far in Romans. 00:02:51.280 --> 00:03:00.800 And what's happening is Paul's building his case and he's adding all of these layers, and everything he said is leading up to the next argument. 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:07.599 And then we see that once he proves his point, he moves on and says, therefore. 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:11.759 And then he moves on to the next point that he wants to prove. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:24.639 Now, since Paul's last therefore, which we see at the beginning of chapter 5, the last two weeks we've talked about this theme of reconciliation, about being justified by faith. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:36.000 And this justification leading to peace with God and access to God like no human before Jesus and after the fall has ever experienced before. 00:03:36.319 --> 00:03:40.879 And this all happening while we were still enemies with God. 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:47.199 And even though we were still sinners, Christ died for us, as Pete covered so well last week. 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:54.080 So the verses 1 through 11 of chapter 5 have been about this theme of reconciliation. 00:03:54.319 --> 00:04:09.759 So Paul says, considering all of that in verse 12, therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people because all sinned. 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:14.159 So Paul is repeating really what we already covered in Romans 3. 00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:21.279 Romans chapter 3, verse 23 to be exact, where it says, All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:23.600 And it started with Adam. 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:26.639 That's how sin entered the world. 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:31.680 That original sin in the Garden of Eden that we see in Genesis 3. 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:46.079 And in Genesis 2, 16 and 17, God tells Adam, before Eve's even created, God tells Adam, You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:50.000 For on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die. 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:54.399 And Adam knew that death would be the result of sin. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:58.399 God just plain told him outright, this is what's going to happen. 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:06.399 Adam didn't have an experience, I'm sorry, he didn't have an expiration date, I should say, until he sinned. 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:15.360 He would have gone on in this perfect fellowship with God in this wonderful body, and he would have just continued on living without an expiration date. 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:20.480 Death is something that God never wanted for any of his creation. 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:29.120 But I think really when we think about it, death is actually God's mercy on Adam and Eve after the curse. 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:36.399 You know, think about living in a cursed world and living forever. 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:40.560 How would you like to be a thousand years old? 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:51.519 You know, think of the wars and the famines and the droughts and the natural disasters and the depressions and all of those things that you would have to live through. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:55.199 Think about the strained relationships that you'd probably have. 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:59.759 You know, that's a lot of time to make enemies if you're alive for a thousand years. 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:04.319 And if you're under the curse, the aging process wouldn't stop. 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:09.600 You know, as I get older, my body feels a little different waking up than when I was 20. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:14.959 Think about what you'd feel like when you woke up on your 2000th birthday. 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:18.000 It'd be a little hard to get out of bed, wouldn't it? 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:27.279 Think about the accumulated injuries, you know, the broken bones and the scar tissue, the arthritis that would develop, and on and on. 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:30.639 See, death is the result of that original sin. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:35.439 But I really think it's God's mercy that allowed Adam and Eve to die. 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:41.199 So that they only had to bear the weight of the curse for a limited amount of time. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:49.279 And then verse 12, it ends, it says, In this way death spread to all people because all sinned. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:56.160 You know, so often you'll hear people say, you know, it's so unfair that Adam and Eve sinned, and now I have to pay for it. 00:06:56.319 --> 00:07:00.319 And we have to be cursed too, just because they failed. 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:05.040 But do you really think that any of us would have done any better? 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:08.000 You know, yeah, I could have resisted the devil. 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:09.120 Oh, really? 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:12.079 When's the last time you sinned? 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:15.199 Maybe driving to church this morning? 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:16.720 Somebody cut you off? 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:19.199 You know, I mean, we sin all the time. 00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:26.000 So for us to think that we could have not sinned if we were in the place of Adam and Eve, I think it's ridiculous. 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:30.000 So I don't think that we should be bitter at Adam and Eve. 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:35.199 Because if we were put in the same exact situation, I think we would have done the same exact thing. 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:38.000 David Guzick puts it very well in his commentary. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:43.680 He says, We may not like the fact that we are made sinners by the work of another man. 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:52.160 We may protest and say, I want to stand on my own two feet and not be made a sinner because of the work of another man. 00:07:52.399 --> 00:08:01.759 Nevertheless, it is fair to be made righteous by the work of another man only if we are also made sinners by the work of another man. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:09.600 If we aren't made sinners by Adam, then it isn't fair for us to be made righteous by Jesus. 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:13.120 You know, isn't that interesting to think about it in that way? 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:26.720 If we're okay with one man, Jesus Christ, taking away all of our sins and being our representative in that way, we have to be okay with sin and the curse and death coming from one man as well. 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:34.080 Especially since we would have eventually done the same thing as Adam if we were given that same opportunity. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:43.840 So, in this way, Adam is a type of Jesus Christ, one man being a representative for all. 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:46.399 Which we're going to talk a little bit more about in verse 14. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:48.000 So let's look at verse 13 first. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:57.759 It says, In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person's account when there is no law. 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:05.039 Sin came through Adam and Eve, and the law came much later when God gave it to Moses. 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:11.120 You know, we talked about this last month where there is no law, there's no transgression. 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:14.639 But no transgression doesn't mean things are good. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:27.600 We talked about, if you remember, we used that analogy of the little kid that was camping with his parents next to the dangerous river, and they gave him some rules to protect him from getting swept away in the current of that river that could lead to his death. 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:31.200 You know, if they didn't make the rules, the kid couldn't have broken them. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:32.960 There would be no transgression. 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:40.559 But if there were no rules, the kid could unknowingly walk into danger and get swept away into his death. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:45.759 You see, God's law lets us know which rivers to stay away from. 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:49.679 So, no transgressions does not mean good. 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:52.399 It just means there's no law. 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:57.039 There's no warning against the dangers against us as humans. 00:09:57.440 --> 00:09:58.639 Verse 14. 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:07.279 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:10.320 He is a type of the coming one. 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:25.519 You know, even though the law came much later, there was still death in this gap in between Adam and Moses, where the theoretical sin and the giving of the law, maybe I should say. 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:31.360 Even over those that didn't sin against specific commands like Adam did. 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:37.600 God told Adam not to eat of the fruit of the tree of good and evil, and he did it anyway. 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:46.720 Everyone after him and before the law was sinning, and they didn't have a direct command from God like Adam did. 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:52.799 So this goes back again to chapter 2 when we talked about a God-formed conscience. 00:10:52.960 --> 00:11:00.559 That's given to us at conception, and it's given even to the Gentiles that don't know God and never had the law. 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:07.200 Romans 2.15 says, They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:10.320 Their consciences confirm this. 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:17.840 So even though they didn't have the law, they were sinning against their own conscience that God had given them. 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:22.639 While they were living under the curse and awaiting for their own death. 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:31.600 Even though they didn't have that direct commandment from God like Adam did, they were still sinning against their own consciences in that time. 00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:38.399 And then he ends verse 14 by saying, Adam is a type of the coming one. 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:45.440 So a type is a figure, it's a symbol, or it's a pattern of something that's going to come later. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:52.320 And now Paul's going to go on in the next handful of verses to show us how Adam is a type of Jesus. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:55.759 And he's going to be comparing and contrasting the two. 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:57.840 So look at verse 15 with me. 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:04.240 It says, But the gift, that's of Jesus, is not like the trespass, which is of Adam. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:17.919 For if by the one man's trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift which comes through the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflowed to the many? 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:20.799 Adam's sin brought death. 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:24.720 Jesus' sacrifice brought life. 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:28.159 Adam's sin affected everyone. 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:35.600 Christ's sacrifice affects everyone that accepts him and has faith in him. 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:40.159 And this gift of grace, as it's saying here, is in abundance. 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:42.080 And it doesn't run out. 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:46.720 It has overflowed, as it says right here in this verse, to the many. 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:52.480 God's grace is so much greater than the trespass of Adam. 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:56.559 And any trespass that you and I could ever commit. 00:12:56.799 --> 00:13:09.120 And in 2 Corinthians 12, 9, the Lord specifically tells Paul, the author of Romans here, he says, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness. 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:14.559 What God's telling Paul is, I have enough grace, Paul. 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:17.120 It's not going to run out on you. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:19.519 In fact, it will overflow. 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:22.480 I'll give you more than you can hold, Paul. 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:26.720 I will fill you up with that grace, and there's going to be leftovers. 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:28.639 That's how much grace God has. 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:35.840 God's saying, you can add up all the sins that have ever taken place from Adam and Eve to the end of the world. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:39.120 And God's saying, and I'll still have grace left over. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:47.759 And therefore, Jesus' gift of salvation will never be retracted from anyone whose faith is in him. 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:49.679 Isn't that comforting? 00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:54.960 We don't have a limit like a gas tank. 00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:58.399 Like, oh no, I just ran out of grace. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:00.879 And I can't afford to fill up. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.240 It's a little too close to home, doesn't it? 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:10.320 It's God's free gift to fill you with grace. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:14.639 And not just fill you with grace, but to overflow you with grace. 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:17.039 Look at verse 16 with me. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:23.120 And the gift, so referring to salvation, is not like the one man's sin. 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:29.120 Because from one sin came the judgment, judgment, resulting in condemnation. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:35.200 But from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:39.360 So what it's saying is one event caused many events. 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:43.840 One sin caused many sins, caused many deaths. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:48.399 And in contrast, many events caused one event. 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:53.840 So many sins led to Jesus' gift of salvation. 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:55.440 Verse 17. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:15:12.000 If by the one man's trespass death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ? 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:16.240 So before Jesus, death reigned. 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:21.759 Now, if you're found in Christ, life reigns. 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:24.000 Eternal life, that is. 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:35.279 This body is still under the rule of death, but our spirit will never die and is under the reign of life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:37.120 So think about it this way. 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:52.480 If a sinful man, referring to Adam, can have such a great effect on all of mankind, think of the effect that a perfect man, a man that's fully God and fully human, can have on all of mankind. 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:59.200 Jesus' effect on us is so much greater than the effect that sin has on us. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.559 Think about that. 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:07.279 Jesus' effect on us is so much greater than the effect that sin can have on mankind. 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:10.960 And think of sin's far-reaching effect. 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:13.919 It has ruined almost everything. 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:18.799 It has touched everything in one way or another. 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:23.279 And Jesus' gift and the effect of that gift is so much greater. 00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:35.519 Reversing all of the death and the distortion and the destruction that sin had on us before we gave ourselves over to Jesus Christ. 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:37.840 Look at verse 18 with me. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:44.799 So then, as through one trespass, there is condemnation for everyone. 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:51.519 So also through one righteous act, there is justification leading to life for everyone. 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:55.919 Adam's one sin condemns everyone. 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:09.039 And the one righteous act of Jesus, the death, the sacrifice on the cross, leads to justification for everyone that's willing to accept it. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:14.319 Everybody is born into Adam, is born into sin, whether they want to or not. 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:22.079 But everybody has the opportunity again into Jesus Christ, to be born again into the family of God. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:26.480 It's just a matter now of who we want to identify with. 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:30.079 We didn't have the choice of being born into Adam. 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:36.240 But we do have the choice of if we want to continue to identify with Adam. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:53.759 Jesus is calling us to identify with him, to identify with Jesus through the free gift of salvation and reconciliation and justification and that access that we were talking about to God's presence that we've never had prior to Jesus. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:18:01.119 And when I think of it this way, you know, it really just seems like a no-brainer of who do I want to identify with? 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:06.240 If we identify with Adam, we receive eternal judgment. 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:15.440 Or we can identify with Christ and receive eternal grace and eternal righteousness and eternal right standing with God. 00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:23.599 All we have to do is accept the free gift that we could never pay for on our own. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:26.319 And Jesus is just holding it out. 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:30.720 And he's just waiting for us to accept that free gift. 00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:35.680 So the question is: if you haven't received that free gift, will you? 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:40.319 Will you reach out and take that free gift that Jesus is holding out? 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:45.279 Saying, identify with me, believe in me, put your faith in me. 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:53.200 And then the rest of eternity, you're going to be living in true, abundant life with Jesus. 00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:55.039 Back to verse 18. 00:18:55.359 --> 00:19:04.559 It says, Through Jesus' one righteous act, there is justification to life for everyone. 00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:15.359 For just as through one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man's obedience, the many will be made righteous. 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:28.240 So if you still think that it's unfair that one man, the Adam, made everyone after him sinners, do you think it's also unfair that one man, Jesus, can save us all from sin? 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:35.119 You know, it actually makes perfect sense that one man can save us from what one man threw us into. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:47.519 Jesus had to be perfectly obedient and righteous in every single way to be the once and for all sacrifice that could pay for all of our sin. 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:57.200 So he could stand in our place to bring peace with God that hadn't been known since before the fall of Adam and Eve. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:19:59.119 Verse 20. 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:03.759 The law came along to multiply the trespass. 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:08.000 But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:13.200 Once Israel had the law, the transgressions increased. 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:17.440 Where there is no law, there's no transgression, as we talked about earlier. 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:22.799 God gave the law to bring clarity and certainty to our sin. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.279 But the law doesn't cause sin. 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.599 The law is kind of like an MRI machine. 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:35.839 It doesn't cause an issue in your body, it just exposes it and it makes it identifiable to what is actually going on. 00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:37.759 It's like a speed limit sign. 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:47.359 You could be going 70 and not know that you're speeding, but when you see the sign that says speed limit 55, then you know for sure that you're speeding. 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:51.279 See, people were already sinning before the law. 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:58.480 Sin was already running rampant, but God gave them the law to let them know that their sin was rampant. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:04.880 He gave them the law to bring clarity to the people so that they knew when they were causing offenses. 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:13.839 But it says here that as sin multiplied, as sin abounded, grace multiplied and abounded even more. 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:21.839 There's no sin or amount of sin that you've done in your past that God can't outgrace. 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:25.119 And that's not a word, but it is now. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:28.559 You can't outdo God. 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:34.960 There is no one too far gone that God cannot outgrace. 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:37.519 His grace cannot be measured. 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:42.559 And for a moment, I want us to consider who's writing these words here in Romans. 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:54.559 It's the apostle Paul who is persecuting the church, who is imprisoning the early church, and who is helping to kill Christians before Jesus got a hold of them. 00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:59.440 The man who was participating in the martyrdom of Stephen. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.759 Yet God's grace was sufficient even for him. 00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:08.960 So who better to write about this than the Apostle Paul? 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:24.240 But the thing is today as well, at our worst moment in the history of our life, God's grace was greater than our sin through the gift of Jesus Christ. 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:33.039 So choosing to identify with Adam is rejecting really God's immeasurable grace and saying, I don't want it. 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:39.519 I want to identify with Adam and stand on my own two feet before God's judgment. 00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:44.160 And I wouldn't wish that on anyone, because that never turns out for good. 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:46.160 Verse 21. 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:57.279 So that as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:22:57.519 --> 00:23:02.559 I really want to highlight grace will reign through righteousness. 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:13.279 Some Christians worry that too much grace within a church or within a relationship may lead to sin abounding and people just doing whatever they want and just saying, God's grace. 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:14.960 But look at verse 21 again. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:19.680 It says, Grace will reign through righteousness. 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:23.839 You see, grace and righteousness really go hand in hand. 00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:34.720 Thomas Brooks, he was a Civil War chaplain, said, As heat is opposed to cold and light to darkness, so grace is opposed to sin. 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:43.200 Fire and water may as well agree in the same vessel as grace and sin in the same heart. 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:47.359 And that's what chapter six is really all about. 00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:52.319 Now remember, when Paul's writing this letter to the Romans, there was no chapter breaks. 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:55.279 It's just one continuous thought that he's writing. 00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:59.920 And he addresses all of this in the next two verses, chapter 6, verses 1 and 2. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:03.039 So look with me, we're gonna dip into next week just a touch. 00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:07.920 But chapter 6, verse 1 says, What should we say then? 00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:11.920 Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:13.680 Absolutely not. 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:17.839 How can we who die to sin still live in it? 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:19.279 And that's for next week. 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:26.000 But I want to point out that we don't need to fear too much grace. 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:30.640 Because grace will reign through righteousness. 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:34.480 Not opposed to righteousness, but through righteousness. 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:48.079 The right standing that was given to us, that was imputed to us, that was credited to our account. 00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:57.119 God's unmerited, undeserved favor on us, that's what grace is, will reign through our right standing with him. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:10.079 Which was given to us through his grace, which then gave us right standing, which was given to us through his grace, which then gave us. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:11.359 See how that works? 00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:19.279 Grace and righteousness are free gifts, and it all starts with God's grace. 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:28.079 You can't be abiding in Christ, you can't be living in grace and have sin running rampant in your life all at the same time. 00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:40.240 I don't mind when it's the Bible. 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:47.680 If it's the phone ringing or a YouTube video somebody's watching, that's different, but that's scripture right there. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:48.640 We're good to go. 00:25:55.440 --> 00:26:00.880 Because we're stuck in this old man, we're stuck in this flesh until we die. 00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:10.160 But there's a big difference between struggling with sin and sin multiplying and abounding, or maybe you've heard it said living in sin. 00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:16.960 Like that quote said, fire and water cannot exist in the same container at the same time. 00:26:17.440 --> 00:26:24.240 Multiplying sin and grace cannot exist in the same heart at the same time. 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:32.880 If somebody is saying they're a Christian, but sin is abounding, and I'm not talking about struggling, I'm talking about abounding, living in sin. 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:34.240 Something's not right. 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:36.240 It doesn't work that way. 00:26:37.119 --> 00:26:43.920 Now, as believers, I think we need to be thankful, so thankful for God's overflowing grace. 00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:51.759 And in return, I think that we need to be, as Christians, the greatest dispensers of God's grace. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:56.640 You know, we all, if we're going to be honest with each other, we all have a limit to our grace. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:59.920 You know, a point where our flesh says, that's enough. 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:02.319 Now I'm being taken advantage of. 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:03.839 No grace for you. 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:09.279 Aren't you thankful that God has never said that to us? 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:14.480 How many times have we taken advantage of God's grace? 00:27:15.119 --> 00:27:19.039 Yet have a limit to how much we're going to dispense on others. 00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:22.799 You know, I hope that our church is known for grace. 00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:28.079 You know, all those people at a bite, they love Jesus and they won't stop extending grace. 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:30.559 They're just overflowing with grace. 00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:35.680 You know, and that really should be our reputation because that's God's reputation. 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:46.319 Where we have too much grace for each other, so that it's actually overflowing outside of these walls and starts splashing onto the community around us. 00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:50.400 I'm not talking about accepting sin or compromising our faith. 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:55.440 I'm talking about extending grace to each other and to the community around us. 00:27:55.839 --> 00:28:01.279 Some of you might be thinking, careful, Pastor Chris, too much grace can lead to some really weird stuff. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:05.200 Not if we're abiding in Christ. 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:09.759 Grace will reign through righteousness. 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:11.279 Not compromise. 00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:12.720 Through righteousness. 00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:17.359 Grace will reign through righteousness. 00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:23.920 You know, the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ is the power of God to salvation. 00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:29.440 The power of God to set us free from the bondage of sin and death. 00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:33.759 You see, I think sometimes we think of grace and we think that it's weak. 00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:36.720 But grace is powerful. 00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:43.759 The power of God to set us free from the bondage of sin and death. 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:46.000 Grace is powerful. 00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:49.680 God's power and God's grace come from the same place. 00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:51.119 From Him. 00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:53.680 And He is all powerful. 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:58.480 I think the question I want us leaving here with today is this. 00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:04.000 How far will each of our grace extend? 00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:09.279 So, really, where is our limit when it comes to grace? 00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:11.839 When do we draw the line in the sand? 00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:19.839 The second thing I want us to think about is how does our limit compare to God's limit? 00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:21.759 I'll give you a big hint. 00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:23.519 God doesn't have a limit. 00:29:25.200 --> 00:29:26.960 Will you please pray with me? 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:38.400 Lord, would you teach us how to live in and be the greatest dispensers of the grace that you have showered so freely on us? 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:51.039 Lord, we thank you that your grace has no limit, that your grace is sufficient, Lord, and you have so much of it that it actually overflows more than we can handle, more than we can hold, more than we need. 00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:53.759 And that it overflows onto each other. 00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:57.359 Lord, help us to live a life of grace. 00:29:57.759 --> 00:30:05.839 Extending grace, not compromising in any way, but extending your grace, your unmerited favor. 00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:10.000 You've given it to us so freely, and we are so thankful. 00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:17.599 Lord, that grace was shown through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, through his death, burial, and resurrection. 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:23.759 That grace is extended in the right standing, the righteousness that you've given us that we haven't earned. 00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:25.519 That was a free gift. 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:37.279 And now we have this access to freely come to you, to worship you, to pray to you, to be with you, to talk to you without a priest being in between us. 00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:40.799 And Lord, we thank you so much for that access. 00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:42.799 But it all started with grace. 00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:44.079 We didn't earn it. 00:30:44.160 --> 00:30:47.519 It was that unmerited favor that you have given us. 00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:54.720 And for it, we are eternally thankful and grateful to you for that. 00:30:54.880 --> 00:30:56.559 We thank you for that free gift. 00:30:56.720 --> 00:31:03.039 And Lord, if there's anybody here that has not accepted that free gift, that I pray that today would be the day of salvation. 00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:05.599 Where they would say, Yes, Jesus, I want that free gift. 00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:06.799 I want that right standing. 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:10.240 I want that eternal life that only you can offer. 00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:14.000 And if that is you, all you have to do is accept that gift. 00:31:14.160 --> 00:31:16.799 And Jesus will forgive you of your sins. 00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:23.519 He will give you that right standing before God, and he'll begin a relationship with you like you've never had before. 00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:27.839 God, I thank you so much for your word. 00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:39.200 Thank you for this body, for this opportunity that we have now to worship you through music, to lift our praises to you, and to lift you up, Lord, and to encourage one another in this time.