Our Reign
By Mark R. Rushdoony
The Christian life is not a holding pattern awaiting eternity. We are redeemed to reign in life by the Sovereign King of kings and Lord of lords.
In Romans 5 Paul speaks to two reigns. First is the reign of sin and death because of Adam's sin (vs. 14). The second is the reign of grace through righteousness by Jesus Christ (vs. 21). The reign of grace involves those saved by grace, for Paul says that "they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ" (vs. 17).
Christ's gift has brought us righteousness in two distinct ways. The first we call justification. It is God's declaration we have a new legal status before Him. God does not just fix our legal problem, however. We do not leave His court the same as we entered it. We are also regenerated, empowered by God to actually be righteous. Justification is our legal change; regeneration is our moral change.
The reign of sin over the redeemed man has been removed. Sin has not been removed, but its reign, its power, its sway, has been defeated. Instead grace reigns in us.
Paul said more than grace reigns, however. He said "they which receive" this grace "shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ" (vs. 17). Reigning represents an authority and power by right of office or position. We have that right because we are the "ambassadors for Christ" (2 Cor. 5:20). Our authority to reign comes from the King we represent.
Our life of faith is not about our personal joy and fulfillment. These, though entirely real, are but the results of our restoration to our Creator. Paul associates the reign in the "abundance of grace" with righteousness. Our regeneration is to a newness of life (Rom. 6:4). We reign because we are regenerated, empowered, to live the life of justified men and women. God's righteousness lives in us.
Paul brings the law into this regenerated life brought by Christ, but not, as antinomians contend, to dismiss it. The law represents the righteousness of God. It always, therefore, reveals man's sin: "[T] he law entered, that the offence might abound." Then Paul adds, "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (vs. 20). Note that grace is not contrasted with the law or its role. Paul is not saying that grace is greater than law; he is, in fact, describing the grace that the law represents. Paul is contrasting sin and grace and says grace is greater than sin. Twice Paul speaks of grace reigning in us through righteousness (vss. 17, 21).
Righteousness cannot be separated from God and His revelation of moral law. Subjective piety is, in the end, self-righteousness and moral lawlessness. We reign in God's will, His revealed righteousness, or we reign in terms of our own self-will and self-righteous piety.
Man was made to have dominion, to exercise authority, power, and justice. Natural man does so in terms of sin, and sin reigns in him, and his reign only furthers its sway. The redeemed of God are called by His grace to reign instead in terms of His righteousness. Regeneration means that the power of God's grace restores us to live in terms of this reign of grace and righteousness in us.
What reigns in you?
The Christian life is not a holding pattern awaiting eternity. We are redeemed to reign in life by the Sovereign King of kings and Lord of lords.
In Romans 5 Paul speaks to two reigns. First is the reign of sin and death because of Adam's sin (vs. 14). The second is the reign of grace through righteousness by Jesus Christ (vs. 21). The reign of grace involves those saved by grace, for Paul says that "they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ" (vs. 17).
Christ's gift has brought us righteousness in two distinct ways. The first we call justification. It is God's declaration we have a new legal status before Him. God does not just fix our legal problem, however. We do not leave His court the same as we entered it. We are also regenerated, empowered by God to actually be righteous. Justification is our legal change; regeneration is our moral change.
The reign of sin over the redeemed man has been removed. Sin has not been removed, but its reign, its power, its sway, has been defeated. Instead grace reigns in us.
Paul said more than grace reigns, however. He said "they which receive" this grace "shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ" (vs. 17). Reigning represents an authority and power by right of office or position. We have that right because we are the "ambassadors for Christ" (2 Cor. 5:20). Our authority to reign comes from the King we represent.
Our life of faith is not about our personal joy and fulfillment. These, though entirely real, are but the results of our restoration to our Creator. Paul associates the reign in the "abundance of grace" with righteousness. Our regeneration is to a newness of life (Rom. 6:4). We reign because we are regenerated, empowered, to live the life of justified men and women. God's righteousness lives in us.
Paul brings the law into this regenerated life brought by Christ, but not, as antinomians contend, to dismiss it. The law represents the righteousness of God. It always, therefore, reveals man's sin: "[T] he law entered, that the offence might abound." Then Paul adds, "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (vs. 20). Note that grace is not contrasted with the law or its role. Paul is not saying that grace is greater than law; he is, in fact, describing the grace that the law represents. Paul is contrasting sin and grace and says grace is greater than sin. Twice Paul speaks of grace reigning in us through righteousness (vss. 17, 21).
Righteousness cannot be separated from God and His revelation of moral law. Subjective piety is, in the end, self-righteousness and moral lawlessness. We reign in God's will, His revealed righteousness, or we reign in terms of our own self-will and self-righteous piety.
Man was made to have dominion, to exercise authority, power, and justice. Natural man does so in terms of sin, and sin reigns in him, and his reign only furthers its sway. The redeemed of God are called by His grace to reign instead in terms of His righteousness. Regeneration means that the power of God's grace restores us to live in terms of this reign of grace and righteousness in us.
What reigns in you?
