Much more, living by grace, living through Christ.
Romans 5:1–11 (ESV)
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
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As we grow up we learn about how to live in the world, sadly we learn the ways of the world, the ways of fallen man. Though these ways often help us get by in life, the more we get to know God and His word the more we realize that they are not God’s ways & they are not leading to God’s life. When we become born again, and when the risen Christ becomes our Lord, we receive God’s invitation day by day to come and live in a different way, to live God’s way, indeed to live through God Himself. 1 John 4:9 reminds us
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
Christians are supposed to live through Christ – he is the vine and we are the branches. The Christian life then becomes a process of us unlearning the old ways, the wisdom of man, and reliance on ourselves; and learning to live through Christ, to rely on Him and His grace. We know we are saved by grace but are we ready to live by grace?
In Romans 5:10 above We read “much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life”
Growing in Christ, being transformed into the image of Christ, is God’s purpose for each one of us, and it will happen as we learn to receive His grace, as we learn to live His life. This is something we need to get used to: now that we have been reconciled to God through Christ there is “much more” – more grace, more life – More of the goodness of God.
Let’s explore a little of this “much more” together, in our next study.