Why did the “old man” have to die?
“For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.”
Romans 6:12, NET. Here the Apostle Paul presents the good news in a nutshell. Unfortunately, many of the first-century believers misunderstood what Paul was saying. Accordingly, Paul endured much grief and criticism because of this statement. The misunderstanding of this verse persists today among Christian believers. A key difficulty among Christian believers is the inability to reconcile between being controlled by law or grace. The difficulty arose from a misinterpretation of the term “Grace.” Most translators and biblical scholars view “grace” as a favor or a gift from God. However, the Greek word translated as “grace” also means “to confer dignity” or “honor.”
Humankind became a helpless sinner by its choice in the garden of Eden. Therefore, a favor performed on behalf of sinners does not remove the stigma of sin from sinners. A sinner remains a sinner even after receiving a gift or a favor. The very nature of sinners must be replaced. Only the complete removal of sin could justify the sinners and make them righteous and free from the law’s dominion. When the sinful spirit, life, is taken away from sinners and destroyed, the law no longer has power over justified sinners. God accomplished it through his grace even before he created us.
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you are saved – and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4 – 7, NET. Because Jesus Christ is seating at God’s right hand, we are also there in him. God’s right hand is the place of highest honor. This act by God is not a favor but a conferring of dignity and honor upon his enemies. It is the ultimate demonstration of his love for humankind. God accomplished all in Jesus Christ. Therefore, Jesus Christ is God’s grace by which we are saved. The promised grace is the righteousness from God, Jesus Christ. Accordingly, the saving grace is a person, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ did not make the saving grace available; he is the saving grace. Jesus Christ is the grace that God gave us because he loves us.
Grace is not available. Read the next blog.
