Chef: ‘Adding eggs to the cake mixture AND baking it completely – the cake WILL RISE.’
I fully admit it, I have anger issues; moments of inner rage when pushed around by certain authority figures manifesting outwardly in a complaint to someone around, ‘ugh they’re so frustrating!’; fuming under my skin. Aware of this issue has made me angrier at times, disappointed at myself for losing my cool even if it was only internally where no one could see.
The contrasting moments when a usually anger-inducing situation has presented itself but somehow I remained peaceful, has brought with it indescribable joy and a sense of loving compassion towards the person who was the initial focus of my anger.
Romans 5:17 says, for if by the one man’s [Adam’s] offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness WILL reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
This verse is a verse for life. It says I will reign in life, by receiving abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness from God. What does that mean? Can statistics and probabilities be applied to the Bible? Can it be a certainty in my life or more of a certainty in another person’s life?
The word ‘Reign’ brings to mind positions of power. Kings reign – a king sits on a throne ruling. He is not in a position of defeat ruled by opposition; he is the ruler, the one with the power. This word is quite specific as being the promised end result of continually receiving the gifts of grace and righteousness from God. It could say…’will get though life ok’ or ‘…..statistically you will succeed 50.3 % of times in your life, through the One, Jesus Christ, but it doesn’t. It says I WILL reign by receiving these two things.
The word ‘will’ indicates a promise. Titus 1: 2 says God cannot lie.
I desire security and certainty. I want to know that I will reign/rule over/have power over my anger and other areas. Sure I can try other methods and thinking strategies to reason myself out of anger to a calmer state, but I am not that smart. I’ve tried and seriously this is much easier. There are no other qualifying factors in this promise. Gifts take no work to receive. Working for it would not make it a gift anymore, but instead a reward.
God is love (1 John 4:16). I believe in love and therefore believe in God. I believe that God is out for my betterment, for my good, to make me profit and that He desires to see me happy and undefeated in life. He wants me to reign and rule as a king over all situations in life. He knows I cannot do it by my efforts, so provided the means for me wrapped up as gifts for me to receive.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [Jesus Christ].
Situations that can lead to possible inner defeat in our emotions, present themselves continually throughout life and there are no limits placed on this promise from God to stop me from turning to Him in prayer and saying at any moment I need to, “Lord, I just got angry again, I hate when I do that, but you have promised that I will REIGN over this and so I receive your free gift of righteousness and superabundance of grace for this moment. Thank you that I am still forever perfect in your sight by what Jesus has done for me on the cross.”…..Deep breath, peace returns; and like a king gaining more and more territory, I will keep gaining more and more power/ ability to reign more and more over my anger. It is His promise to me through faith in Jesus Christ.
God is saying and promising me, there is nothing else I can do that will cause me to reign in life besides these two things. I have nothing to lose, only gain by receiving these free gifts.
To reign in life by receiving the free gift of righteousness/constant right-standing before a loving God despite my failings to keep my cool or anything else – because He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for all my sins; and receiving His ABUNDANCE of grace – which is unmerited favour for a good outcome in any situation in my life, is a promise that can be relied upon.