Reigning in life

"Reigning in life is a matter of receiving grace. 'For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ' (Romans 5:17).

Notice it is by receiving grace - not by what we do for God, not by keeping laws, but only by receiving grace - that we reign and rule in life." (Rob Rufus)

Receiving grace is not about understanding the definition of the word "grace" - The grace of God is not a message, but in fact a person (Jesus Christ). Many resist this teaching of grace in the same way that the religious Pharisees resisted Jesus - they are deceived into occupying their thoughts with their own behaviour (as we all are when taking our eyes off of Christ), instead of renewing their minds with the gospel that says that Jesus Christ has already "behaved" on our behalf (this is what Romans 5:17 is referring to when speaking of the "gift of righteousness").

Centuries of "church" have emphasised self-determination and a slave mentality, when Jesus has already quenched the wrath of God, thereby making us sons and daughters and no longer slaves.

I urge you to read and absorb the powerful truth contained in Romans 5:17, and notice the very significant use of words such as "receive", "abundant", "God's...grace" and "GIFT of righteousness".

My father told me a story about a man in the army who accidently drove his truck over a bridge and into a river. His leg got wedged underwater, leaving him gasping for air not far beneath the surface. Others jumped in trying to help him - his friend even broke a piece of the exhaust off to allow this man to breath while they tried to loosen him. Unfortunately he died due to aggressively panicking for air, pushing everyone away who tried to come near him.

It's the same with God's grace. God has freely provided everything we need in order to abundantly reign in life (and not just survive), yet we begin to panic in the midst of difficult times, to the point that we can't see God's provision already made available, and we spend years begging Him for it, when simply knowing the truth and resting in it is all that's needed.

God revealed His love and goodness by extending grace through Jesus Christ - and it is sufficient!