Week 13 - Monday

Different in Efficacy

For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)

Another way in which the one acts of Adam and Christ are unlike each other is in their efficacy. Efficacy is defined as the capacity to produce a desired result. Adam did not sin because he wanted himself, or anyone else, to die as a result of it. He did it because he thought it would make him more like God. Satan had told Adam and Eve, that if they ate the fruit from the forbidden tree, they would become like God. (Gen. 3:1-5). Unfortunately eating the fruit produced the exact opposite of the result they desired. Not only did they not become like God, but they lost the most important similarity to God which they already had. Before they ate, Adam and Eve were sinless and they were immortal. After eating they became sinners and thus were subject to death. Adam's one act was not efficacious. That means it did not produce the result he desired.

When Jesus died on the cross, He did it to redeem mankind from their sins. Christ's one act was efficacious because it did produce the exact result that He intended it to. In redeeming us from sin, Jesus did much more than simply provide forgiveness. He provided us with an abundance of grace and also with the gift of righteousness. When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God forgives all our sins. It doesn't matter how often we've sinned or how terrible those sins may have been. God forgives them all and He keeps on forgiving our sins for the rest of our life. God's grace truly is abundant. Not only does He forgive our sins but He declares us righteous too. God doesn't stop there either, He goes on to make us righteous. Before coming to Christ every person is a slave to sin. When we receive Christ, God puts His Holy Spirit in us. This changes our hearts and breaks sins bondage over us. As Christians we truly do reign in life. Death no longer reigns over us and sin is no longer our master.

Readings for today: 1 Tim. 1:13-14; Rom. 3:22-24; 2 Cor. 5:21; John 8:34-36; John 10:10