Every now and then you read a verse you’ve read many times before, but this time it lands on you differently. I read a verse this morning that did that and wanted to capture some thoughts as I meditate on what it is teaching me.
It is a tale of two reigns.
The verse in question is Romans 5:17.
17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:17 ESV
This verse is a comparison, a contrast between two reigns. I contemplate the first one: death and its reign over us. Death is certain and absolute. You and everyone you know will die. You cannot escape it. Take the best possible care of your body and you will still die. Many will die unexpectedly. There is nothing you can do to reign over death, it still reigns over you.
As our Creator says, you have an appointment with death:
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
Hebrews 9:27 ESV (emphasis added)
and that you will return to the dust from which you were made:
for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
Genesis 3:19b ESV
Psalm 139 teaches us we literally have a defined appointment with death; that the day of it was appointed by The Lord before we were born.
Death reigns completely. No matter how rich, how powerful, how healthy, how popular, how genetically blessed you are, death still reigns over you. With all of our technological and medical advances we will still die.
As we feel that full oppressive weight of death’s reign over humanity that came to rule through Adam’s fall into sin, we remember that Romans 5:17 is a contrast. It is comparing this rule and reign of death with something else.
Another reign – a reign of LIFE.
The first thing I want to glory in is it does not present these two reigns as equal opposites. The words that lift my spirit are these:
MUCH MORE
The reign of death, complete and oppressive as it truly is, is swallowed up – not by an equal but by a “much more” sovereign reign – the reign of life. In this reign, death is defeated; it loses its sting. There is still physical death, but the oppressive weight of death’s universality and finality is lifted from us through a sure and certain resurrection to a new quality of eternal life we can’t even imagine. A far superior reign!
But there is an even more glorious point in this contrast. In the first part, notice it is DEATH that is doing the reigning, but in the second part, YOU are doing the reigning! It isn’t merely life reigning instead of death, it’s you are reigning in life through Christ! I can’t even comprehend all that verses about our reign mean:
21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Revelation 3:21 ESV
or
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
2 Timothy 2:12 ESV
Indescribable promises.
BUT, these promises are NOT universal; they are limited – not in quality but in scope. Our Creator and Lord tells us who will enjoy this greater, higher, “much more!” reign. It is “those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness“. It is those who are humble enough to receive a gift; a gift that you can only get “through the one man Jesus Christ.“
There is a narrow gate, this one man Jesus Christ and faith in Him, that will allow you to escape the oppressive reign of death for a reign in life. He gives it as a gift of undeserved grace and it includes his perfect righteousness to those that will simply repent and receive it.
If you reject Christ, if you reject his offer, if you think Christianity is dumb, if you will not repent of your sins and accept the gift of grace and his righteousness, then you will remain under death’s reign. It is the default and only option.
But if you will only see your rebellion, see your sin against God and repent, lay down your arms in your war against God and His Christ, then Christ’s gift is yours and you will swap death’s reign over you for your reign in life with Christ.
It is a MUCH MORE reign, a swap from death reigning to you reigning with Christ!