Eternal Living

For those who know Jesus Christ, grace is the sweetest thing they will ever taste. However, even after they become believers for the very first time, grace remains a mystery. The concept of divine grace is something that leaves everyone in awe and in wonder no matter how many times you try wrap your mind around it. The mystery is that sinners can taste it. The mystery is the worst of the worst can taste it. The mystery is that God has an endless source of grace to give. How can this be? Romans 5:19-21 is a small glimpse into understanding the mystery of divine grace.

Unjustified to Justified (v.19)

• The Apostle Paul is writing to his Roman brothers and sisters to explain the origin of sin. Throughout the generations, sin has been passed onto every single human. Sin originates from Adam and Eve. God’s original design did not intend for humanity to be sinful. God desires to be in fellowship with His creatures. Genesis 1-2 is a perfect picture of how life should be. Humanity is God’s creation. In Genesis 3 that fellowship was broken because of sin but all hope was not lost for humanity because God had a plan. A plan of grace. This grace was Himself, God in the flesh! Jesus Christ. This is why Paul uses redemptive language in verse 19 because God’s plan of grace was to justify humanity. For humanity to be in fellowship with God again, we needed to be made righteous like God is perfectly righteous. Adam and Eve’s disobedience led many to be sinners, through Christ we are finally justified. It is His grace that makes us righteous to be in fellowship with God once again. All one has to do is repent and believe in the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Everlasting Grace (v.20)

• In verse 20 Paul emphasizes for his audience the depth of God’s grace. One person can add up all their faults and it would be astronomical. God’s plan wasn’t just to save one person, but to save all who would believe in His Son. In other words, Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world. That amount of sin seems unquantifiable, but so is His grace! Like Paul says, where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more. For the unbeliever, this should freeing to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. That He has grace for you, no matter the sin in your life. For the Christian, it’s a reminder that our Jesus gave up everything to save us, how could we not serve others in that spirit of grace too. How Christians marvel at divine grace will impact how they live their entire life.

Death to Life (v.21)

• Sin is deadly. The Bible talks about how death is associated with sin. Those that sin deserve death. This sounds harsh, but the reality is God is perfect, holy, and all powerful. He has established His law on how to live and when we don’t live according to that, we are sinning. In sin, humanity is destined to a spiritual death in a place called hell. Even though it’s a hard truth to swallow, God’s grace is still available to everyone. In Christ, in His grace we do not have to experience this death. Divine grace is sweet, its everlasting in quantity but that also means it is everlasting in time. Paul in verse 21 indicates that sin does reign in death, but grace reigns through righteousness that results in eternal life. Christ knew how sinful we are and how that would lead us to death and saved us from it all.

The mystery of this grace is a wonderful one. The sinfulness of man is real. Humanity without God’s grace is destined for an eternity without being in fellowship with God. How sad and tragic, but in God’s grace He made a way for all to enter His kingdom. It is only through His Son, Jesus Christ that everyone can taste the sweetest grace ever known.

Whether you are a Christian or not, you cannot deny how important the heart is to one’s body. It circulates blood through our body and without proper blood flow, we would surely die. The physical function of a heart is important, but the spiritual function is far more important.

Our heart is a delicate space where our passions, emotions, and troubles all live together. The things and the people that you let into this space can either add to your life or decrease your life. An observation that I have made in my life is what is in my heart will directly impact my actions or words that I say.

The heart humanity is born with is a heart that desires sin. It is a heart that does not desire godly things. You first need a new heart. Then, only then can you discern through God’s word what is good to let into heart.

Let’s first think through what Scripture says about the heart. We will first look at Ezekiel 11:19-20 and then Proverbs 4:23 which says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” Here are two meditations from these passages.  

A NEW HEART

• God is the author of life. He has created you and known about you long before you were ever born. He is trustworthy. He is someone that we should let into our hearts not just for a short time, but forever. Look at the passage in Ezekiel 11:19-20. God promises through the prophet Ezekiel that God will give us a new heart of flesh. The heart of stone that humanity has causes us to unrepentantly sin against our Creator. In Christ, we have an opportunity to have this new heart. Without this new heart, your desires will continue to be worldly. You will chase after passions that only bring you temporary satisfaction. In Christ, this heart of flesh will give you wisdom and knowledge to pursue godly passions and desires. He will give you a purpose to your life and satisfaction that outlast this life.

GUARD YOUR HEART

• The Proverbs verse is a warning. The warning falls in the middle of a proverb where a father is giving direction to his son. An illustration to us that should cause us think of how God’s instruction to us is good for us. His instruction is full of wisdom that protects us from evil. The Lord is calling us to be on guard for what we allow into our hearts. Discipline yourself to read Scripture and memorize it because it protects you. Ask the Lord in your prayers to guard your heart. Temptation comes in many forms, the more Scripture you have in your heart, the more ready you are to fight sin off. Make sure to have people around you that are committed to watch over you. Sometimes others can see the outward expressions of a troubled heart before you can. Be humble enough to hear them out and remember the Lord offers grace when we fall short of His glory. The Lord gives grace, and He gives it in an abundance.

The world and culture have influenced society to value titles. Many people desire that fancy office with lots of books you haven’t read and your giant name-tag sitting on your desk. Leadership in simple terms is the ability to gain the trust of others to accomplish a common goal. Leading is not something you wait for once you are given a title. The Christian life calls Christ followers to be leaders. You lead others to the faith, lead yourself in your spiritual walk, and you could lead your family in different situations.

TITLES ARE OVERRATED

• So, let’s talk titles. Every company, church, and organization has titles. Titles are helpful for organizational structure, identifying who has the power to make final decisions, etc. The important part is to view these titles in their proper perspective. You are not a leader because you have been given power or authority over people. You are a leader because of the kind person you are and how you care for people. In fact, sometimes you may even find that not all leaders with titles are good leaders. All people will find themselves in situations where they can lead. Mothers, husbands, and church members all need to be ready to lead. The best kind of leaders do not pay attention to the job or title they have, but focus on a posture of humility.

CONNECTING THE DOTS BETWEEN LEADERSHIP & HUMILITY

• There is a close relationship between humility and leadership. My experience has been that the best kind of leaders are humble. They are servants. Most of the time these servant leaders are Christians. When you study Philippians 2:5-11, it is a clear picture of the humility that Jesus exemplified. He was someone who was selfless. Jesus commanded and deserved the highest praise. Yet, He decided to lower Himself to the lowest you possibly can. He gave His life as a ransom. The unlikely leader in the eyes of the culture, becomes the ultimate servant leader in the eyes of God. What should that say about our own pursuits in leadership? Do you dream of having a big office or title that is going to give you leadership?

SERVANT LEADERSHIP 101

• So, what is the catch? What mindset should Christian’s have when they lead? A close mentor of mine once told me that the most important job I will ever have is the one I have now. That has stuck with me for a long time. I have chased titles before. I thought that they would bring satisfaction because I could be someone in charge. I was foolish. Focus on the job or season of life you are in now. Work in such a way that you work for the Lord. No matter if you have a title or not, remember the Lord is noticing how you are working and leading. Serve others now by being a good co-worker. Encourage others, communicate well, and bring a joyful attitude to work. All of this keeps you focused on what is before you. In Matthew 25 when Jesus tells the parable of the talents. It is a parable about being faithful with what God has given you. Humble yourselves by being faithful with whatever the Lord has entrusted to you now.