Therefore,
since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God
because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith,
Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand,
and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.
We
can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they
are good for us—they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength
of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of
salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly
God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with
his love.
When
we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us
sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might
be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great
love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And
since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will
certainly save us from God's judgment. For since we were restored to friendship
with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will
certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life. So now we can
rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God—all because of what our Lord
Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God.
When
Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam's sin brought death, so
death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before
the law was given. And though there was no law to break, since it had not yet
been given, they all died anyway—even though they did not disobey an explicit
commandment of God, as Adam did. What a contrast between Adam and Christ, who
was yet to come! And what a difference between our sin and God's generous gift
of forgiveness. For this one man, Adam, brought death to many through his sin.
But this other man, Jesus Christ, brought forgiveness to many through God's
bountiful gift. And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from
the result of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but we
have the free gift of being accepted by God, even though we are guilty of many
sins. The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us, but all who
receive God's wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph
over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
Yes,
Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ's one act of
righteousness makes all people right in God's sight and gives them life.
Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one
other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight. God's law was given so that all people could
see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful
kindness became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought
them to death, now God's wonderful kindness rules instead, giving us right
standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(NLT)
This reading is taken from 30
Scripture Readings for New Christians. The complete book can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KYN34Q
HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION copyright © 1996. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
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