From a New Testament Perspective: 'The Reign of Sin and Death VS The Reign of Grace and Life'

 

From a New Testament Perspective: 'The Reign of Sin and Death VS The Reign of Grace and Life'

 

This title encapsulates a comparative study of two fundamental concepts in Christian theology as presented in the New Testament. It suggests an examination of the contrast between the state of humanity under the dominion of sin and death, and the state of believers under the reign of God's grace and life through Jesus Christ.

The phrase highlights the transformation that occurs in the life of a believer, moving from a state where sin and death have dominion (as described in passages like Romans 5:12-14) to a state where grace and life reign through Jesus Christ (as outlined in Romans 5:17-21).

 

Aspect	In Adam (Sin and Death Reigning)	In Christ (Grace and Life Reigning)
Nature of Life	Old creation's natural life	Resurrected life (united with Christ's life)
Main Characteristics	Sin and death dominate	Grace and life reign
Biblical Basis	Romans 5:12, 5:21a, 6:12	Romans 5:21b, 5:17
Life State	Under the control of sin and death	Reigning in life
Transformation Process	Dying, being buried with Christ	resurrecting with Christ
Realization Method	Baptism,	grafted into Christ
Life Renewal	Old man crucified,	new man growing in resurrected life
Holy Spirit's Work	The human Spirit has already lost its function	The life-giving Spirit indwelling, making believers alive
Ultimate Result	Death	Eternal life

Explanation:

1. Original State: Humans were created in God's image but fell into the dominion of sin and death due to Adam's fall.
2. Christ's Work: Christ, as the last Adam, through His death and resurrection, ended the life of the old creation and initiated the life of the new creation.
3. Believers' Experience:
• Through baptism, they die and are buried with Christ, putting off the old man.
• They are grafted into Christ, growing together with Him in His resurrected life.
• Their original functions are restored, enhanced, and permeated by Christ's life.
4. Continuous Renewal: Allowing the Holy Spirit to expand from the regenerated spirit to the mind, renewing the whole person continuously.

This process demonstrates the transformation from "sin and death reigning" to "grace and life reigning," emphasizing that the fundamental change in a Christian's life is not an external substitution or imputation, but an internal life union and transformation.

The text explains that [the Lord's] life becomes ours in resurrection. He elevates the functions we originally received in creation and enriches, strengthens, and even permeates our entire being. This new life is a life of two lives joined as one. In this union, there is victory, life, light, power, and all other divine attributes. All these are ours, not through replacement, not through imputation, but through being grafted into Him.

 

*Please refer to the 2024 Memorial Day Conference - The Christian Life,  Message Two: The Grafted Life