What is the reigning power over our lives?

Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Rom 5:20-21)

Advocators of Eternal Security name Grace as the reason why Christians are suppose to be ‘once saved always saved’. It is true that we are saved by Grace lest anyone should have a boast to carry before God (Eph 2:8, 9). It truly takes the mighty work of Jesus Christ on the cross to bring about remission of sins and salvation.

Jesus taught us in the practice of the Holy Communion (Matt 26:28) of the remissions of sins when we drink of the cup. ‘Remission of sins’ is deliverance or release from the bondage of sin which I believe means the separation or cutting off of sins from our lives. Therefore the shedding of the blood of Christ is the key to separating us from the sins and its curses. We look at the example of deliverance as the children of Israel set free from Egypt to the Promise-land. It was a setting free from the grasp, control, bondage of the cruel taskmaster, Pharaoh, into a live of serving God. It was really a freedom of a past reign into a new reign. Transfer of the reign of sin that brought death into reign of Christ that brings life.

The law serves a very important purpose, which is to awaken us to the fact that we have missed the mark of God’s expectation. The offense of sin multiplied from Adam onwards. Because of the multiplication of sin or offense (yes, sin makes us offensive to God), Grace need to Super-Abound or over-flowing to cover the countless transgressions. Without the triumphing of Grace there isn’t any way out for us sinners. Not just counter balancing the multiplication of sin, but beyond that which is to over coming it till there isn’t any trace of sin left. Not the covering up of sin, but the power to separate us from sins reign and authority. A transaction of death for life, of rejection for love, and of sin for righteousness… a transfer of a past dark reign to a new reigning authority. THAT is the power of Grace!

Grace is not just ‘receiving un-merited favor’. God can’t be that shallow. Grace is beyond that, it is the reign, a power that comes through righteousness. Conversely without righteousness, there is no reigning of grace. Have we thought about that?

We want to be free from guilt and condemnation; therefore we desire God’s ‘grace’. Righteousness is a gift of God (Rom 5:17, 18). But righteousness and grace are a package deal. We can’t just take grace and drop righteousness. This is where many of Christians struggle; therefore grace has been diluted to merely ‘un-merited favor of God’. Where as grace through righteousness is a reigning authority of our lives unto eternal life. Without which we can’t see the likes of Heaven when Christ returns.