Because of One Man
Martha Olawale
“Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For 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.” Romans 5:18-19
I was praying for a ministry largely instrumental to my Christian growth in college recently because they were facing some massive challenges caused by sin. With my heart overwhelmed by the situation, I could only ask God for mercy and restoration, for His name's sake. The reminder that one man's sin caused the dilemma jolted my spirit and made me sad. How can a beautiful, impactful ministry be hindered and paused because one man chose wrong?
The letter of Paul to the Romans in chapter 5 reminds us how, through one man's sin, the entire world inherited the nature of sin and, generation after generation, wallowed in the consequences. Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” A house built on sin bows to sin, and unless we wear righteousness as a cloak to shield us, we are no different than the man we left behind at the foot of the cross.
The ripple effect of one man's sin is too significant a price to pay, and every Christian man should take time to think before acting outside the confines of Heaven. You are mighty men and warriors of faith. Fight like it and live above reproach. Moses and Joshua made it, and although David missed it, he did it too. Find your tribe and ask for help when you need it. Billy Graham fought the good fight, and many everyday Christians are doing the same, leading and living right. Don’t get so comfortable with sin that you throw in the towel in defeat. Adam got it wrong; Christ made it right, and His grace, He said, is sufficient for us.
Live worthy of the cross you carry. You are destiny bearers, and the health of Christianity weighs on your integrity and righteousness-mindedness. It took the death of Christ to get us back in line with God, and repeating the pattern of Adam we’ve been rescued from speaks to an old nature Christ has already redeemed us from. Live with a sense of purpose that honors how Christ lived and the example He left on the sands of life. A minute's pleasure outside grace can send a generation down a desolate path; don’t be the cause of it.
