SIN hath reigned unto death" (Rom. 5:2121That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)). Such is manifestly the state, or condition of things in this world, in which we are found; sin and death reign, have dominion.
This should be clear to all. Is not death constantly removing one and the other from this scene? is it not constantly preying upon its victims? have we not continually the proof that man is a slave to this inexorable master?
The wages of sin is death, and every unsaved man, woman, or child, is only nearing, every breath they breathe, that moment when they too must pass away from this world, when death will strike its blow upon them, and claim them as its subjects.
It is a common thing to hear it said, that death is the debt of nature, but this is untrue, for nature existed when God first created this world, and placed man, in the persons of Adam and Eve upon it, and when He saw everything He had made in the six days' work, and behold it was very good (Gen. 1:3131And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31)). This was prior to the entrance, of sin, it was the reign of innocence then. This did not, however, last long, for soon Adam and Eve transgressed the commandment God had given (Gen. 2:16,1716And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16‑17)), and took of the fruit of the tree that He had forbidden (Gen. 6); and thus, by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin; the reign of innocence was closed forever, and the reign of sin began, and death, the wages of sin., followed in its train, according to the sure word of the Lord God, "In the day that thou eatest there'd thou shalt surely die " (Gen. 2:1717But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:17)).
So commenced the state of things we find in the world to-day, the reign of sin and death (Rom. 5:2121That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)). “And so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:1212Wherefore, 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: (Romans 5:12)). Yes, "all have sinned, and,” as we read in chap. 3:23, “come short of the glory of God." Now this, my reader, shows how this solemn truth affects you personally, and individually, if sin is thus reigning unto death, it is the truth that you have sinned; indeed, that you are a sinner in the sight of God, who is Holy.
Have you ever seriously considered this?
Perhaps you answers as many often do, “We are all sinners s" but stay are you a sinner, apart from all thought of others? Do you, take thig place before God? Have you been brought individually, and alone, thus to see yourself in the light of the presence of Him, to whom even “the thought of foolishness is sin" (Prov. 4:99She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. (Proverbs 4:9)). If so, I ask you further, Have you given up all hopes of bettering your condition? for they are vain. “There is none righteous, no, not one, etc.," There is none that doeth good, no, not one (Rom. 3:10, 1210As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)
12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:12), &c). "In me (that, is in my flush) dwelleth no good thing,” says the apostle Paul (Rom. 7:1818For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (Romans 7:18)). Do you take this, which is God's own word, home to yourself, no good in you: therefore no good can come from you: that is, as you are? Do you see your complete moral ruin?
Men naturally cling to the common thought that there is some little good in them, but it is vain. Differences outwardly as to this life there may be, good and bad, but this will not avail More God, Who searches the heart, and judges of everything according to the secret motive springs which He sees there; in His sight there is, He says it, "no difference” (Rom. 3:22, 2322Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:22‑23)). As one sin sufficed to banish Adam and Eve from His presence, much more must your many sins forever bar you from it; unless, by grace, you now take your true place before Him, as a helpless, hopeless, lost, guilty sinner, and are cast entirely, and only upon Him for His mercy. Sin hath reigned unto death, and no power but God's is able to deliver, to save you from this position.
Perhaps you May fear, if you face this solemn truth, if you own yourself to be such a sinner, that God must condemn you. True, you deserve it, and you are right to feel thus, but let me tell you, that as yet you know not God, for He is love, and He is not condemning sinners to-day, but, blessed be His name, He has undertaken the cause of such. He has made a provision, He has in pity come to their rescue.
Let me announce to you the good news, the gospel that if "Bin has reigned unto death,” now “grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
If "by one man sin has entered," by one man also grace has entered. Yes, “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:1717For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17).), for "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved " (John 3:16, 1716For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16‑17)). Grace, God's free favor to the undeserving, the only way He could show His love to such as we are, has appeared, and has ascended the throne since Jesus died and 'rose again, having paid the wages of sin in the shedding of His precious blood. God, as a righteous God, has 'been glorified, as well as all His claims against the sinner having been forever met.
“He could not pass the sinner by,
His sin demands that he must die,
But in the cross of Christ we trace
His righteousness, yet wondrous grace.”
Through righteousness, that is, through all the character of God as a righteous, Holy God, being made good in the cross, and by His having raised the Man Christ Jesus, who finished the work there, to His own right hand in glory, grace now reigns is enthroned, and
“A message of love
Has come down from above.”
You, poor sinner, are like one owing a great debt with no possibility of paying it, but Jesus, the Son of God, in the shedding of His blood, has paid the sinner's debt. God, who gave Him, having raised Him from the dead, declares thus that He is satisfied with the payment.
So, all being settled, and Christ being now on the throne of God in heaven, grace is reigning through, not at the sacrifice of, righteousness, it being maintained to the full, and eternal life becoming the portion of every one, who, just as he is, as a sinner, believes the message of the gospel. “It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)) By grace ye are saved, through faith" (Eph. 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)). Faith is the only principle on which you must receive the blessing,” Not of works, lest any pawl should boast" (Eph. 2:99Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:9))." Believe," then, “in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)).
Let me urge you, beloved reader, to decide this solemn question without delay; not at some more convenient season, but now in the day of salvation Soon all must close in this world.; the Lord Jesus may come back for His own, or death seize you as its victim first, but in one way or another, you Must soon be launched into eternity; and do not think that this life is all, that you die like the beast, and that is the end of you. Be assured, you must live forever; the soul never dies, and you must be in heaven or in hell. Which, then, shall it be? Will you still remain under the dominion of sin and death, or will you, by hearing the word of grace, and behooving, pass from death unto life? (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)).
Think of the consequences of being now unsaved; sin has entered, and death by sin, after death the judgment (Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)), and that judgment the lake of fire for eternity (Rev. 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)). Then think of the blessed consequences of deciding for Christi being saved by grace to have eternal life, no condemnation. (Rom. 8:11There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)), or judgment, and future glory (Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)). Make your choice.
You say, I want to go to heaven; then remember, Christ is the only way, grace reigns by Him; believe in Him and be saved. Then will your happy prospect be the same as that of all His people, for they shall "reign, in life” by one, Jesus Christ. He very soon come again to receive His own to Himself, that where He is, there we may be also. His quickening power already applied to our souls (John 5:2525Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:25)), will be applied to our bodies (Phil. 3:2121Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)), and all trace of mortality gone forever, we shall be forever with the Lord. May you, my reader, be amongst the happy number who will be caught up to meet Him in the air (1 Thess. 4:16-1716For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑17)), “to reign with Him in life.”
"Grace began shall end in glory,
Jesus, He the victory won;
In His own triumphant story,
Is the record of our own.”
J. S. C.