broken black crown

For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:17

Every child of Adam has been shackled by mortality. Death will always be our end in this world. Sin will always be our default moral programming. We are all born in fealty to Emperor Death as our king. Adam’s sin leads to Death’s win. In every soul. Inevitably.

Until Jesus came to reign instead. But in order to break Death’s iron fist, Jesus Himself had to die. To cover sin’s horrendous stain, Jesus had to shed His blood on the cross. To ensure that grace and life would start a new reign in those whom Christ redeemed as they came to Him in faith, Jesus had to give Himself as a sacrificial gift and then be raised again to new life by the Father’s power in order for us to have eternal life… free from death’s tyranny.

Once death had its dark empire; now it no longer reigns. Instead, death now gives way to life for the Christian. Once death was the prospect of eternal separation from God in punishment for what our sins deserved, but now death is the bright gate to eternal life, joy, and fellowship with our God forever for those who by gospel belief know Jesus as Savior and Lord. Grace is abundant in Christ. Righteousness reigns in the life that Jesus gives us! The dark cloud lifts in the reign of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords shining now and forever!

Lord Jesus,

You now reign to end death’s reign. I am alive in You, made alive by You, to always have life in You, for You, by Your grace. And although death is still in this world, writhing, bitterly sulking in its own death throes like a poisonous snake still quite dangerous to those who do not yet know Jesus, it has no power over Your people. You Who died and are now alive reach nail-scarred hands through death’s fog to draw us to You in our last earthly moments… to enter the embrace of our Savior! PRAISE THE LORD! You reign in life so that we might reign in life too.

Amen