全人類只有一位救主
羅馬書五章12至21節
12這就如罪是從一人入了世界,死又是從罪來的;於是死就臨到眾人,因為眾人都犯了罪。
13沒有律法之先,罪已經在世上;但沒有律法,罪也不算罪。
14然而從亞當到摩西,死就作了王,連那些不與亞當犯一樣罪過的,也在他的權下。亞當乃是那以後要來之人的豫像。
15只是過犯不如恩賜,若因一人的過犯,眾人都死了,何況神的恩典,與那因耶穌基督一人恩典中的賞賜,豈不更加倍地臨到眾人麼?
16因一人犯罪就定罪,也不如恩賜,原來審判是由一人而定罪,恩賜乃是由許多過犯而稱義。
17若因一人的過犯,死就因這一人作了王,何況那些受洪恩又蒙所賜之義的,豈不更要因耶穌基督一人在生命中作王麼?
18如此說來,因一次的過犯,眾人都被定罪;照樣,因一次的義行,眾人也就被稱義得生命了。
19因一人的悖逆,眾人成為罪人;照樣,因一人的順從,眾人也成為義了。
20律法本是外添的,叫過犯顯多;只是罪在那裡顯多,恩典就更顯多了。
21就如罪作王叫人死;照樣,恩典也藉著義作王,叫人因我們的主耶穌基督得永生。
信息分享
我們可以舉一個例子來說明這點。假若一個小鎮全靠一個水塘來供應食水,倘若有人在水塘中下毒,那有毒的水便會污染鎮內的所有水管。
因著亞當犯罪,死亡進入了世界,從此之後,人人都要經歷死亡。由此可見,亞當一人犯罪帶了何等可怕的後果……憂傷、痛苦、疾病、苦難、死亡…然而,引誘人類犯罪的蛇,卻樂於見到這一切的發生。
我們可以用第19節來概括這整段經文的含意:「因一人的悖逆,眾人成為罪人;照樣,因一人的順從,眾人也成為義人」。
保羅每次想到基督所成就的救恩,就幾乎要立即發出頌讚。一個人無論犯了多大的罪,神的恩典都比他的罪更大。我們從現實中看到,一個罪大惡極的人當接受了基督的救恩之後,總是比一般沒有犯大罪的人,更深地感受到神恩的浩大和自己的不配。
我們要時刻記著,神的恩典遠超過我們所想所求,可遮蓋一切的罪惡。願我們每天都經歷神的新恩。
唱詩:
奇異恩典,何等甘甜;
我罪今得赦免;
前我失喪,今被尋回,
瞎眼今得看見。
ONE RACE, ONE SAVIOUR
Romans 5:12-21
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.
17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Message
It is as if someone had poisoned a town's water supply at its source and the poison had been carried by the water itself into every pipe and outlet in the town.
Death also came into this world when Adam sinned and it was passed on to all men. What terrible results came from Adam's one sin. Think of it and listen to the hiss of the serpent behind it all. Sorrow, sadness, sickness, suffering, sin.
You can sum up this whole passage by reading verse 19 again: 'Through one man's disobedience, the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous'.
Paul almost sings a doxology whenever he thinks of what Christ has done. In Adam all men are sinners. In Christ men are made saints. Sin began with Adam but both sin and death are conquered in Christ.
The provision of salvation through Christ is greater than the problems sin brought into the world. No matter how much sin there is in a life, God's grace is greater (v. 20-21). Those who have been terrible sinners (by our standards) before they came to Christ, often seem to appreciate God's wonderful gift of grace more than those who never fell into deep sin.
Remember there is always more grace than we have ever discovered or taken hold of. Paul says, 'grace abounds'-it overflows. It can cover everything. You could write across God's grace every day 'More to follow'. There is enough for today and there will be even more tomorrow.
A SONG TODAY:
'Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.'

