1 Cor 15:21-23 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
The power of sin was such that it infected all of humanity, not just those who sinned, but all generations thereafter. Is the power of the living God any less potent? Certainly not. As the scriptures say, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Sin is not more powerful than God’s grace, or if you will, forgiveness. No one would be alive now if it was. It is only by God's grace that after the fall, humanity has life at all. No poetry intended.
Rom 5:6-19 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Verse eighteen above makes it perfectly clear, that just as all were condemned by the offence of Adam and Eve, so also have all been justified by the righteousness of Christ. There is nothing you and I can do about what has already been done to, or for us, in Adam, and Christ. Adams sin infected all of us. Christ’s righteousness has justified all of us. It could be no other way.
The only reason humanity is able to choose salvation, or not, is because what Christ accomplished for us, was every bit as powerful as what happened to us when we sinned. Nay, even more powerful, for it overcame and conquered the enemy. It did so in the flesh, that is, our flesh. Now we are free to choose to serve whom we will,-“whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”(Rom. 6:16) Not by our might, nor by our power, but by His Spirit, saith the Lord.
As soon as humanity sinned, God decided to forgive them, even to die for them. Thus Christ is the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). Forgiveness is a two way street though. If I become angry and slap you in the face, only you can forgive me of that, and only I can confess and acknowledge my sin to you, and ask for your forgiveness. Christ forgave, and died for every single human being. The thing is done, and nothing can change that. So now, what are we going to do about it? That is what this is all about, what is humanity going to do about what God has done for them.
Who will make themselves right with God, let them confess their sins, for- “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1Jn 1:9&10) God has done all that can be done through His Son Jesus Christ. Through Him we are forgiven, and justified. The Holy Spirit is sent to us by Him to convict us of our sin, and His righteousness, that we might confess, and live. It’s up to us now, what will we do?
Those who will not acknowledge, and confess sin for what it is, sin, cannot be forgiven. Therefore, they cannot be made right with God. God will not sustain sin forever. Those who choose it over God, will perish when it does. Thus the question remains for each of us, what is sin, and am I ready to acknowledge and confess my sin to God? He has already done, and is continuing to do His part through His Holy Spirit, will we do ours?
By for now. Y. b. in C. Keith
