God Pause - Lutheran Seminary - Moved by the Promise for Ash Wednesday, 5 March 2014 - Romans 5:12-19

God Pause - Lutheran Seminary - Moved by the Promise for Ash Wednesday, 5 March 2014 - Romans 5:12 Therefore as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned. 13 For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not charged when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those whose sins weren’t like Adam’s disobedience, who is a foreshadowing of him who was to come. 15 But the free gift isn’t like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 The gift is not as through one who sinned: for the judgment came by one to condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses to justification. 17 For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. 18 So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.--World English Bible
Adam and Christ, what a way to begin Lent! 
Through the one man (Adam) come the pervasive realities and all-encompassing consequences of the powers of destruction. From the very beginning of life, brokenness spreads throughout the world and holds the universe in death's devastating grip. Through the lens of the good, the right and the beautiful, most succinctly expressed in God's law, humankind becomes painfully aware of its destructive, catastrophic predicament. Adam's and Moses' legacies are revealing, but of no avail. Ash Wednesday etches the reality of the grip of death into our consciousness. 
In the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, comes the pervasive realities and all-encompassing consequences of the powers of life. In Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection comes a right relationship with God that breaks death's grip and offers new life as a free gift. In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ this power of life brings restoration and reconciliation in the world—most dramatically in overcoming the destructive, catastrophic grip of death. Ash Wednesday etches this reality into our body and spirits.
Gracious God, on this day we thank you for etching into our consciousness the reality of our brokenness and its catastrophic consequences. Through the gracious presence of Jesus Christ grant us forgiveness, peace and the foundations of new life.
Roland Martinson
Professor Emeritus, Children, Youth & Family and Pastoral Care 
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned—
13 sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law.
14 Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man's trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many.
16 And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification.
17 If, because of the one man's trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all.
19 For just as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.--New Revised Standard  Version
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