Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Matthew 7:1-6
Judging Others
1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
6"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
Mark 11:25
25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
Man is flawed...We try...We know we ought to be good...We know that we should be perfect like our heavenly Father (Matthew 5:48)...We know we should be Holy, like our Father (Leviticus 20:26)...St. Paul talks about this in Romans chapter seven, as he struggled with his own sins...Our sins are what flaws us...
St. Paul tells us that sin entered the world through one man, and because of this death came to man...It is possible that Adam and Eve would have lived forever in the Garden of Eden had they not sinned...But they did sin, and death entered the world of earth...Death followed all the sons and grandsons of Adam...God is our absolute moral law...We are to be perfect, like Him...We are to be holy, like Him...Adam could not and we cannot...Adam, our first father, has a union with all of us...Those born after Adam and before Moses brought us the law, died because of this union of Adam's sin and his next of kin continuing to sin...When Moses brought us the law, we then knew sin was written down and in the first five books of the Bible...When one of these written laws or commands were broken, we sinned...
Some men tried very hard to follow God's commands, and tried to be perfect and to be holy, but all have failed...Many of us look up to certain leaders and people and expect them to be nearer to perfect than others...They maybe a follower of Christ...We often look for guidance in a mentor or leader and then are let down, with one or more of their behaviors...They should be setting our example, and then something happens...We judge them in a different light, and want them to set for us, a higher standard that we can look up to...A particular leader may let us down with their lifestyle, their values, their integrity, or a secret may come out that they did something wrong...
Jesus teaches us that we should not judge...We all have done a wrong and sinned...When we judge others for setting our own examples, we can be let down...Man is flawed...Jesus knows this...So instead of getting upset and losing this mentor or friend, He teaches us to look at our own lives...When we look at our own lives we will find that we too are not perfect, or holy...When we focus own ourselves and see our own faults and sins, their is this large plank in our own eye, when there is only a speck in our friends eye...We should not be hypocrites...Our leaders sin, and we sin...Jesus then teaches us after we have examined ourselves, that when we pray, and if we hold anything against anyone (not of those we respect, but also an enemy) we are to forgive him, so our Father in heaven may forgive us of the planks in our eyes...
We sin, our leaders sin, ones we respect sin, our enemies sin...We are to look at ourselves and forgive...This isn't easy, because people let us down...But we can take heart...God gave us the gift of His Son...The wages of sin is death...So Adam gave us a death sentence...Jesus gives us a life sentence...We try, but can't be perfect...We try but, can't be holy, We try, but can't be merciful...But Jesus can...When He walked the earth, as a Man, He was perfect, holy, and merciful...By the grace of God, He sent His Son to save us from our sins and death, so that we may share in the eternal life with Him and His Son...