The verses selected by Selwyn for reading and meditation, are worth a lot of our time, spent – being still, in meditation, before God.

Romans 5:1-18 (NLT): “ … When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died – from the time of Adam to the time of Moses – even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.

But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it (those who believe in Jesus) will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone (who believes).“

The important point to be taken from the above verses is that the benefits of God’s gift of forgiveness, is ONLY for those who receive it.

As Selwyn says in his introduction:“Yesterday, we acknowledged that in Adam all die. But just as Adam’s sin brought untold consequences of disruption and chaos, so Jesus’ atoning work on the cross brought untold consequences of cohesion and order.” Selwyn empahsises the point that it’s only those who are ‘in Christ’ will be made alive (with Him in heaven).

I think Selwyn’s conclusion cannot be stressed enough – Christ ‘in you’ should shine through your life – 24 hours, 7 days a week. He wrote: “If we are alive in Christ, and He is alive in us, then surely some manifestation of that life ought to break through. If it doesn’t, we should ash ourselves why.”

In countries where there is active persecution – I can understand why some Christians may be careful – in the way they live their faith. However, in the western world – if your next door neighbour doesn’t know that you are a follower of Jesus – then you have a real and present, problem – that you must address.

Your view?