If by that one person’s transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many. For if, by the transgression of the one, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
Sometimes, when I attend a ballgame or get stuck in heavy traffic, I wonder at the huge number of people and our belief that one man's death might save so many. Saint Paul knew crowds of people; he'd had the same experience. And yet he could declare his belief that "the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many."
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that one person's illness, like Adam's, can spread to others quickly and easily; and even exponentially, as the contagion may sicken and kill after passing undetected through several others.
And that's only the corona virus. The more common, more vicious disease is the misinformation that arouses distrust, suspicion, and paranoia. The failure to clarify what you heard may distort a truth into a plausible misunderstanding which feeds into a widespread uneasiness about other people and their intentions, and becomes hysterical violence against defenseless people. As recently as September, Fortune Magazine reported stories of front-line nurses assaulted for enforcing routine precautions against infection. Some are attacked in grocery store if they're wearing their scrubs.
Nor can we overlook those who knowingly, intentionally create and spread lies for political or economic gain. Their reward must surely be eternal hellfire.
And so, in the face of such widespread evil, we ask, can the sacrificial death of one man change a world so vulnerable to deceit and so eager for mischief?
But I will not wander into "the problem of evil." I have heard it preached too often and, frankly, there is no gospel there.
I find assurance of Jesus's power to save in the witness of those who pray and sacrifice for others; and in the confidence that comes to me in prayer. Neither the Lord nor his martyrs have died in vain. That assurance passes no cynic's acid test but it is for me a "scientific proof" of God's spirit. When I found no reason for hope I found hope. It is an abundance of grace and a gift of justification, a promise to reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.