26. Reign in Life
Romans 5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
Death reigns over history and man’s existence on earth because of the Offense, or Sin, of the one man, Adam. This is the human condition: all men are now mortal, that is, because of sin all will die. Since death is decreed and death comes to all, Death rules all of life because that Fate is certain. Death reigns even before the time of our own physical death; it colors and infects everything. Weaknesses, sicknesses and injuries incrementally and inexorably rob us of the rich and full life God created, eventually leading to the final end. People around us die regularly. In this sense death reigns.
But we have the promise of something greater than the presence of Death and its inevitable rule. The promise is that we shall reign in life and much more so. By faith we have received abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness by the other One Man, Jesus Christ. In that grace and righteousness we shall reign in life. We have eternal life and we have it now: in that life we rule over death. By the Overcomer we truly overcome. Death cannot threaten, scare, intimidate or rob us of life; Death has no power over us. The loss of loved ones or the loss of health cannot take away or diminish the full life we enjoy with God. Instead WE rule. We have been transferred from slaves to masters, from subjects to overlords, from serfs to lords, from peasants to bosses.
We have a different king, a different ruler, and a different boss. Jesus is now in control of life and He is responsible for us: He gives us life in place of death. Death has been removed and it has no place in us. In Christ we rule over and replace death with life; self dies and Christ lives, and He reigns forever. When we believe this promise of ruling in life there is no physical problem, no emotional disturbance, and no relational dysfunction that can bring us down into sadness, fear, trembling, doubt or despair. These temporary symptoms of death do not rule us, but we rule them, that is, in Christ’s grace and righteousness we Reign in Life. Life is in charge.