It is emphasized here again: Adam’s one trespass led to condemnation for all his descendants. On the other hand, one act of righteousness of the second Adam, Jesus Christ, leads to justification and life for all men. But there is one problem. Christ died for all people, but not all people will be saved. To be saved they must admit their sin both to themselves and to God, and accept by faith justification and life given us through Christ’s act of righteousness. The Son of God paid the just penalty for all our sins on the wood of the cross. Therefore, the condition for receiving justification obtained for us by Jesus on the cross is true repentance connected with faith in Jesus the Son of God and true Saviour who really died for my every sin too. And I give these sins to Him and receive His forgiveness by faith in spirit by the cross.

“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.”

“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.”

This Word of life points out again the relation to Adam, through whom sin entered human nature, and it points out our relation to Christ, through whom we have been justified by grace. The preceding verse 12 reads, “Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” This verse says that through one man, Adam, we inherited sin and through sin death. Death spread to all of us, because we all sinned. Little children cannot sin consciously; however, they are bearers of an inherited programme, and on the nearest occasion they begin to sin.

Verse 17 explains, “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.”

3 July 2018

When you will be dying, the most important thing will be to make an act of perfect contrition. This means to admit your sin and sinfulness and to call on the name of God. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Rom 10:13)

In the hour of your death, your eternity will be decided. Therefore, prepare for it in interior prayer.

How does the Holy Spirit help us during this prayer?

The Apostle answers: “The Spirit makes intercessions for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Rom 8:26)

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit,

and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.

They are in conflict with each other,

so that you do not do what you want.”

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.”

Again, it is good to read the whole chapter five of the Epistle to the Galatians. Apart from dealing with the question of circumcision, it shows true freedom in the Spirit of God. Verses 13 to 15 read: “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself. If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

This is a kind of introduction to our Word of life. It clearly tells us to live by the power of the Spirit of God. And then we will not gratify the desires of the flesh; in other words, we will not become slaves of lusts.

«It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good,

and to be so always and not just when I am with you.

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains

of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.»

“It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.”

Before penetrating into the depth of these verses, it is appropriate to read the whole chapter four of the Epistle to the Galatians, which contains these words. Here the Spirit of God through the Apostle Paul confronts us with a number of truths. Beginning with verse 12, the Apostle Paul personally addresses the Christians of Galatia: “I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong. You know I was sick when I first preached the Gospel to you. Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth? Those people are zealous to win you over, but their intentions are not good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.” The Apostle reminds the Galatians of their initial zeal, when he preached Jesus among them by word and mighty deeds. Their sincerity was great.

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

These Bible verses, which again we are going to recite for two weeks, are followed by the verses: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Let us be aware that we are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus rather than through works. We are in Him spiritually; not only through baptism – as it is written that being baptized into Christ we have clothed ourselves with Christ – but also through faith and through the holy sacraments we should be aware of this deep truth, draw strength from it for spiritual struggle and rejoice that Jesus is with us, that we are in Him, and He is in us. As Jesus said: “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him.” And this happens during Holy Communion in the Divine Liturgy.

«You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,

for all of you who were baptized into Christ

have clothed yourselves with Christ.»

“Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more

shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!”

Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!

This verse, which we are going to recite for two weeks, is preceded by the following verses in the same chapter: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.” (Rom 5:6-7)

Verse 8 then emphasizes: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8)

And this is followed by verse 9: “Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!” We need to know that we have been justified by nothing less than the blood of Jesus! And thus we are also saved from the just punishment for our sins; we are saved from God’s wrath.

“But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin,

so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ,

might be given to those who believe.”

The preceding verses read: “What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one. Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.” So the Apostle Paul explains to us again that justification from sin, or so-called righteousness, does not come by the law, i.e. by the external observance of the law. We ask: So what is the purpose of the law? We find the answer in verse 22, which we are going to recite for the following two weeks: “But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.” It says that, as the Scripture declares, the whole world is a prisoner of sin. In other words, the law convicts us of sin but does not deliver us from it. We are delivered through faith in Jesus Christ. So that what was promised is given to those who believe in Jesus Christ. Therefore the centre of our faith and salvation is a personal relationship to Christ.

“For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise;

but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”

For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

This statement in verse 18 is preceded by a mention in verse 13 of the curse of the law which Jesus took upon Himself. And it is explained further: “…so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” It is said here that the blessing given to Abraham is also given to pagan nations, that means to us too, in Christ. Concerning the Jews, the physical descendants of Abraham, the blessing comes to those who have received Jesus through faith. The prophets and the righteous of the Old Testament believed that the Messiah would come and they de facto received Him beforehand through faith they had at the time. Eventually, the first to receive Jesus were the apostles, who were Jews, i.e. the physical descendants of Abraham. There are other descendants of Abraham, too, who crucified Christ, namely the Jewish scribes, Pharisees and high priests, and today mostly Masonic Jews.