The Gift is Not Like the Trespass

I have a special connection with Romans 5. Anytime I have ever had to share my testimony to someone or a group of people, I reread this passage for hours. I do not say that to try and sound better than anyone else. I say that because it is always a frightening thought to unload all your crap in front of a group of people. Especially if your crap looks anything like my crap LOL. If I had any say in the matter, I think I would choose to never share my story with anyone. Marked by shame for so long, it is so unnatural for me to freely claim victory in Christ through my struggles. Especially when my struggles still feel very present.

However, Romans 5 reminds me of a great truth. Jesus is the one who won victory over my struggles, not me. Paul makes a very profound statement in this chapter. He says, “But the gift is not like the trespass” (v. 15). Romans 5 explains the trespass versus the gift. The trespass is through one man’s sin came condemnation and death for everyone. And that through this one man’s trespass, death reigned. We see this all the time! I feel the weight of the trespass regularly. The consequences of sin that affect myself and others. The brokenness of our world. It all can feel too much at times.

But Paul also says something else interesting. He says the gift also comes through one man. This gift is justification through the righteous act of one man which leads to life for everyone. Through Jesus’ obedience, the many will be made righteous. It doesn’t say through Jesus’ obedience and a good effort on our part, the many will be made righteous. No. The glory is completely His and the gift is freely ours.

This chapter also says, “The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more” (v. 20). If you’re like me, this maybe brings a tear to your eye when you read it. Through my copious amount of perverted and gross sin, God doesn’t pull himself away. No. His grace is actually multiplied when confronted with my sin. This is so opposite to anything that feels natural. It doesn’t even make a little bit of sense to me. And also, through that grace reigns righteousness, resulting in eternal life. This is how the Lord sees me. Righteous. Not through the lens of the trespass, but through the gift.

This chapter is always successful at tearing down any self-preservation I have when sharing my story. I can now boldly stand in front of people to proclaim the way this gift has played out in my life so that maybe someone else might hear of this kind of radical grace and love and accept it for themselves too.