Devotion:
Read Romans 5:15-21.
In my much younger years, I heard a sermon series on the seven deadly sins---pride, envy, gluttony, anger, greed and sloth. It seemed to me to be the saddest set of sermons I had ever heard. And sins were, in my definition, more behavioral than these deeper sins of the mind and heart.
In these later years, my eyes have been opened to the truths of those sermons years ago. From the second stanza of Charles Wesley’s great hymn, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”, my prayer has become, “take away our bent toward sinning”.
Paul is speaking truth in Romans 5 when he declares that sin brings death to everyone. But Paul is also speaking truth that God’s grace through Jesus gives LIFE to everyone! In verses 15 and 17, Paul offers the words of comparison saying “how much more” is God’s gift and provision of grace to everyone!
Paul’s message to us all is that even though we have this “bent toward sinning” which brings death, God’s gift of grace through Jesus Christ brings LIFE!!!
It is important to note the first verse of Romans 6, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means!” Paul says!!! Paul’s point is now that we have experienced God’s grace, our lives must also be transformed by God to walk in new ways!
Personal Worship Option:
Charles Wesley’s third stanza speaks of this new life. Let this be our prayer today. “Come, Almighty to deliver, let us all thy life receive; suddenly return, and never, nevermore thy temples leave. Thee we would be always blessing, serve thee as thy hosts above, pray and praise thee without ceasing, glory in thy perfect love.”
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