WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday July 24, 2016
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FAITH BRINGS JOY
(CHRIST gives us the hope of salvation)
(Romans 5)
The sin of Adam brought physical death. The Resurrection of
CHRIST brought spiritual life. Because one man disobeyed GOD, many people
became sinners (Romans 5:12). However, because one other MAN obeyed GOD, many
people will be made right in GOD’s sight (Romans 5:17).
In the original Greek, the word Paul uses
for “access”, in Romans 5:2, is “prosagoge” (pros-a-gogue-ay), and it means “to
introduce, or usher someone else into the presence of royalty”. It can also be
defined as “a safe haven, or harbor”. We have “access” to GOD through our faith in JESUS CHRIST, WHO came into the
World, and overcame the World, by way of HIS enduring SPIRIT. We can now
rejoice in our trials because we know that those trials are not meant to make
us fail, but rather, they are tests, that are meant to strengthen us, and make
us better warriors in the army of CHRIST. Trials help us learn to endure, and
endurance develops strength and character. Our character then strengthens our
hope and confidence in the gift of salvation (Romans 5:2-4).
In John 15:13 JESUS says that, “greater
love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”
(KJV). This gives us confidence in salvation, because, here JESUS is saying in
effect, that, from that glorious moment when HE died on the cross at Golgotha,
we were no longer just HIS servants, but rather, at that moment, we became HIS
friends. By the sin of Adam, all men became sinners and were alienated from
GOD. In total contrast, by the righteousness of CHRIST, all men can become
righteous, and can be restored into a right relationship with GOD (Romans
5:18).
Paul says it more clearly in 1 Corinthians
15:21-22 where he states, “For since by man came death, by MAN came also, the
resurrection of the dead. For in Adam all die, even so in CHRIST shall all be
made alive” (KJV). There are two basic Jewish ideas that come into play when
reading this passage. One is “solidarity”. The Jews never really thought of themselves
as individuals, but rather, they were a part of a chosen clan, a family, or a
nation, and whatever happened to one, happened to all. The other thing that
comes into play is that, at least in those days, death was considered to be the
direct consequence, or result, of sin. The Jews believed that sin was
intimately connected with death, and in essence, they are right.
GOD’s love, however, is not limited to just
a select few, and HE proved that when HE extended HIS love to the entire
ungodly human race by sending HIS SON JESUS to die on the cross for our
iniquities. And since HIS death brought reconciliation to us all, while we were
still HIS enemies, we are now reconciled, and should have confidence that HIS
sacrifice will complete the work of salvation in us (Romans 5:6-11).
GOD’s law was given to us so that all
people could see how sinful they are. The more people sin, the more abundantly
GOD’s wonderful grace and kindness will manifest itself. And just as sin had
previously ruled over all people, bringing them to death, so now GOD’s grace
and kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with HIMSELF, and resulting
in eternal life through CHRIST JESUS, our LORD (Romans 5:20-21).
Through faith in CHRIST, we can see an
ultimate happy ending to the unpleasant circumstances that we now find
ourselves in. Faith gives us hope to see beyond our suffering, tribulation, and
understanding. Faith enables us to realize how GOD can work a greater good in
our lives through difficult times. And we can also rejoice and come to rest in
the hope of a glorious future that was prepared for us long ago, by a kind and
loving GOD.
In the
coming days, let us each think of someone we know, who may be seeing themselves
as being in a hopeless situation because of a recent setback in life. Then, try
and come up with some GODLY ways in which you might be able to encourage them
in the SPIRIT of hope, which CHRIST JESUS lends to us as Christians. For
instance, perhaps we can arm them with a list of scriptures, perhaps from this particular
chapter of Romans that may seem most appropriate to their struggle. When a
person has hope, they also have peace, and that is true with everyone. Through
the power of CHRIST we can be conquerors of all things, even those things that
bring us harm and disappointment in this world.
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official
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